Ric Gloede - Remax WA

21/02/2025

Prosecutors and Mangione's defence lawyers are expected to provide updates on the status of the case

25/01/2025

It's the work of a farmer with an engineering degree, turning a disappointing harvest, into a piece of art.

17/01/2025

Marine veteran Tyler Vargas-Andrews, who was nearly killed in the 2021 su***de bombing outside Kabul Airport that took the lives of 13 American service members, made it clear that he has had it with President Joe Biden taking victory laps as his one-term presidency comes to a close. Biden will leave...

03/01/2025

06/02/2024

06/02/2024

We are so proud of Travis & Sophie for heading back to Wiltja for the start of year! Nyupali kunpu munu ninti learners! Thank you to their families for all their support!

27/08/2023

It was an honour to spend some time with Australia’s greatest Prime Minister today.

So many pertinent insights on the challenges facing Australians today and the solutions required from our governments.

31/07/2023

How beautiful is this? Thanks for sharing Graham Edwards.

André Rieu & Melissa Venema performing Il Silenzio live in Maastricht. For concert dates and tickets visit: http://www.andrerieu.com"Il Silenzio" is a memori...

10/07/2023

Robodebt automation created by Gillard Ministers Plibersek and Shorten

29 June 2011

Press Release

Human Resources Minister Tanya Plibersek to recover Welfare Debt by Automation

A new data matching initiative between Centrelink and the Australian Taxation Office is expected to claw back millions of dollars from welfare recipients who have debts with the Australian Government.

Minister for Human Services Tanya Plibersek said the new initiative will enhance Centrelink’s debt recovery ability and is expected to recover more than $71 million over four years.

Beginning on July 1 this year, Centrelink and the ATO will automatically match data on a daily basis as a way of cross-checking former welfare recipients who have a debt with the Commonwealth.

Those who are identified as having debts and who haven't made repayment arrangements with Centrelink may have their tax refunds garnisheed when they lodge their income tax return.

Ms Plibersek said Centrelink customers sometimes incurred a debt with the Commonwealth because they either inadvertently or intentionally claimed a benefit they were not entitled to.

Assistant Treasurer Bill Shorten said the tax garnishee process had been carried out manually once a year for the past 15 years and involved a significant amount time on the part of the departmental officers.

"The automation of this process will free up resources and result in more people being referred to the tax garnishee process, retrieving more outstanding debt on behalf of taxpayers," he said.

He said more than $27.5 million was recovered from over 43,000 former Centrelink customers' tax refunds in the 2009/10 financial year through the tax garnishee process.

"The new data matching link is expected to increase the number of former customers identified for this process by an additional 65,000, above current detection levels, over the four years."

Centrelink is currently writing to over 90,000 people with outstanding debts who are not currently receiving a payment from Centrelink or the Family Assistance Office.