The Morrison Government are ripping money away from people struggling. It’s time they paid it back.
As Ministers for Government Services and Social Services, they’ve gotten away with dealing out countless unfair Centrelink debts to people on income support for years.
First there was the unlawful Robodebt, which continues in various forms.1 And now, 11,771 JobKeeper debts — despite the scheme being error-riddled and misleading, and despite profitable companies being let off the hook.2
In Australia’s cruel welfare system, punishment and accountability always falls to people on income support, and never on Ministers like Stuart Robert, Linda Reynolds, and Anne Ruston.
So we’re turning the tables on them. Just like Roberts, Reynolds, and Ruston have done to hundreds of thousands of us, we’ve duly recorded their breaches to the responsibility they have to us, the public. And we’re putting them on notice for the enormous debt they owe.
Create your own debt notice
Use our tool to create a personalised debt notice for Ministers Robert, Reynolds, and Ruston and send it to their offices.
- Add your reasons for issuing a debt notice (select from our prompts or add your own)
- Write your name, to be included in the sign off
- Let us know your email address, to be included as the sender email
- Send your notice via email!
Tips for personalising your debt notice
- Using our tool, you’re able to add three reasons for issuing the notice
- Select from our pre-filled reasons, and/or write your own
- If you have a personal story of receiving a debt, whether you received one yourself or someone you care about, consider including this as a reason. The more personal, the more impactful.
Why Robert, Reynolds, and Ruston?
As Government Services and Social Services Ministers, Robert, Reynolds, and Ruston have been responsible for dealing out cruel and unjust Centrelink debts.
- Stuart Robert MP: Robert was appointed Government Services Minister — the role overseeing Services Australia — in November 2019 after Robodebt was established. He delayed taking action to stop it, refused to personally apologise to victims, and never took responsibility for his role in the scheme.3 In this same role, it is likely Robert oversaw the issuing of a number of JobKeeper debts before he was appointed to his new role in March 2021.
- Senator Linda Reynolds: Reynolds is the current Government Services Minister (March 2021 onward) and therefore is responsible for issuing the majority of Centrelink debts this year. She is also the current Minister with the power to waive Centrelink debts.
- Senator Anne Ruston: As Minister for Social Services, Ruston has partial oversight of Services Australia, the agency that issues Centrelink debts.
What do the Ministers owe us?
- $32 million upfront: the sum amount of all JobKeeper debts, which will need to be repaid or waived immediately.
- An immediate pause on all Centrelink debts until a comprehensive and transparent audit of all issued debts is conducted, and disclose the total amount owed back to individuals.
- An inquiry into the Robodebt disaster, including finally disclosing advice given to the government on the legality of the scheme.
As Ministers for Government Services and Social Services, you’ve been directly responsible for countless cruel and unjust policies that have harmed the public.
For too long, you’ve acted with impunity, creating unfair debts and clawing pennies from people struggling. Now, it's time to pay it back.
- Reason 1
- Reason 2
- Reason 3
- Pay back $32.8 million — the total of all JobKeeper debts — to welfare recipients immediately.
- Immediately pause all Centrelink debts until transparent audit of all issued debts is conducted, then repay all unfair debts.
- Commit to an Inquiry into the Robodebt disaster, including disclosing advice given to the government on the legality of the scheme.
In solidarity with everyone who has received a Centrelink debt
- [1] ‘Centrelink must review welfare debts after tribunal casts further doubt on income averaging, senator says’, The Guardian, 6 March 2021.
- [2] ‘Centrelink chasing 11,000 welfare recipients over $32m in 'pandemic-related debts'’, ABC News, 16 August 2021.
- [3] ‘Robert claims credit for Robodebt change, despite ignoring problems’, The New Daily, 18 November 2020.