“Unlawful punishment of welfare recipients is not just a Coalition policy.”

Again I append this irrelevant information here, for no reason in particular: bsky.app/profile/maxi...

Our first thought on reading the Deloitte report was that it contradicted itself in nonsensical ways. We have a feeling this might be related.

It gets worse. The Deloitte report suspected of using AI contains a fake quote and erroneous citations to one of the leading cases on Robodebt. www.afr.com//companies/p...

What would happen if Australia stopped supplying F-35 parts to Israel? — First Dog on the Moon www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Nothing the government has announced can adequately compensate for the distress, wasted time, financial strain & other impacts of being pursued for unfair debts over such a long period. Thanks @amyremeikis.bsky.social for reporting. More coverage here: live.australiainstitute.org.au/category/aus...

"Where an amount is owed to Centrelink, people should only repay their debt after they have a liveable income and can afford to. If the government is concerned the person may never have a liveable income they should make welfare payments liveable."

Nothing the government has announced can adequately compensate for the distress, wasted time, financial strain & other impacts of being pursued for unfair debts over such a long period. Thanks @amyremeikis.bsky.social for reporting. More coverage here: live.australiainstitute.org.au/category/aus...

"The government has already provisioned for harm in its contracts... The Workforce Australia Services Deed requires providers to carry insurance for bodily injury, mental illness & death. This is not a system designed to prevent harm," Thank you @zoewundenberg.bsky.social for reporting.

returning NDIS to its purpose and making it sustainable are what Butler says are the two key issues #NPC [translation = cuts]

Follow @nobodyinpoverty.bsky.social for all the updates on “mutual” obligations news … and there’ll be more to come from us soon.

More on the Ombudsman's report and recommendations including the unfair power imbalance between "The Department", its employees and delegates and welfare recipients living below the poverty line from @kristin8x.antipovertycentre.org from @antipovertycentre.org on ABC www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...

Jay Coonan from the @antipovertycentre.org unpacked the Commonwealth Ombudsman's report into maladministration of Centrelink’s Targeted Compliance Framework, also known as ‘mutual' obligations on @3crmelbourne.bsky.social this morning (from 26:00) www.3cr.org.au/thursday-bre...

I may have hated going to my DES provider appts but it's looking like maybe they've lost their contract. Can't believe I have to start over. Looking at the list & they're all places I've heard other people complaining about. And a couple I've been with in the past & can't really face trying again.

It should not take fear of public embarrassment to get the people responsible for welfare compliance rules to comply with their own requirements.

Nearly 1,000 jobseekers had their payments cancelled over a 2 year period, even with laws in place to stop it happening. Here's what went wrong, and why the federal watchdog is calling it a "catastrophe". www.abc.net.au/triplej/prog...

This recent Parl Library publication showed working-age welfare recipients are at historic lows. Unemployment payment recipients as a % of the working-age is relatively low - would be lower were it not for measures shifting people from other payments onto JobSeeker www.aph.gov.au/About_Parlia...

Centrelink’s penalty system is broken and it’s hurting people who can least afford it. The Ombudsman has confirmed the Targeted Compliance Framework (TCF) has unlawfully cancelled payments, leaving jobseekers without income through no fault of their own. It’s time to scrap the TCF.

🚨 A new report into unlawful Centrelink payment cancellations is out! The Ombudsman has raised concerns about whether payment suspensions happen "fairly and reasonably" with @caitkelly.bsky.social Tune in to ABC RN to hear from @squigglyrick.bsky.social apcentre.substack.com/p/damning-om...

Unemployed and underemployed workers have been systemically excluded from policy discussions that concern them. No policies developed by such exclusion have any legitimacy. This exclusion needs to end. Nothing about us without us.

Our problem is not a shortage of housing. Our problem is a surplus of landlords.

Disabled people were asked what sort of colours they would like on the brochures for the new DES and whether what was written made sense. Number of DES participants on the government’s DES participant experience group? Literally ZERO – it’s almost entirely made up of job agency representatives.

expropriate the airbnbs

Not suggesting that donating to the major parties will ensure you keep getting contracts in abusive industries even when you have a shit record and reputation but it won't hurt.

The list of providers in the new disability employment service that starts on 1 November is now public. Our old fave APM scored contracts in every state & territory despite their notorious reputation! Who needs a good reputation with a former ALP Premier on your board and... (thx @donation.watch)

hooray, more subsidies for energy companies that price gouge customers and trap poor people in debt 😑 we need debts wiped, we need strict regulation, and we need a public energy company that providers energy at cost @chrisbowenmp.bsky.social

PSA: If you read on the @australia.theguardian.com this morning that the government increased Centrelink payments, no they didn’t. This is irresponsible & misleading. To anyone who thought they might be receive some relief, we’re sorry for any distress you experienced due to incorrect reporting 💔

"Remember that there are a large cohort of economists who believe that tackling inflation relies on a certain cohort of Australians not having jobs." you're welcome and thanks, @amyremeikis.bsky.social #NobodyDeservesPoverty #RaiseTheRate live.australiainstitute.org.au/2025/07/aust...

Not sure how many ppl know the govt is pursuing really old (alleged) debts in a way that regular debts wouldn't be. Some ppl might think 'why should welfare recipients get away with owing a debt?' But it's BCOS they're welfare recipients that the govt is betting that ppl won't care/know its unfair.

Howler of a thankfully now-quashed decision by this review officer at Centrelink: upholding the cancellation of someone's JobSeeker by, in part, misreading APM's advice they could no longer access her job search records as advice that she hadn't submitted any. www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/view...

Every time the government fails in its duty of care to welfare recipients it causes more confusion and distress. As Robodebt showed, it's irresponsible, dangerous and wasteful for the government to continue trying to extract money from people who cannot afford to live.

ADELAIDE: Join us and Anti-Poverty Network South Australia next Friday for a briefing on what’s happening with investigations into “mutual” obligations and how you can help pressure the government to stop them. Plus, stay for a bonus lunch and planning how to abolish the partner income test!

ah, the asterisk at the bottom of page 10 says it all - 'PaRIS results understate the extent of access barriers, as only patients who had visited a GP practice in the last 6 months were surveyed. People who could not access a GP were not captured.' lolsob www.safetyandquality.gov.au/publications...

Unwelcome? This is literally your policies working as designed.

No, we don't need more ~targeted~ payments. To ensure we can access safe, secure housing: 1. Welfare payments above the poverty line NOW. 3. Rent control. 2. Direct investment in high quality *public* homes at scale. That's it.

🚨 HELLO, IF YOU ARE ON A CENTRELINK PAYMENT AND HAVE “MUTUAL” OBLIGATIONS OR KNOW SOMEONE WHO DOES, PLEASE READ + SHARE

Some great designs here, and you can offer to pay for someone else's gear as well if you happen to have some cash. If you can't afford they'll also help you get some merch too.

Get some cool stuff, whether you can make it to the conference or not! And if you're in or near Magan-djin/Brisbane this weekend, why not join us at the People Against Poverty Summit? Info here: linktr.ee/peopleagains...

Would you or your organisation like to support people in poverty to attend and speak at this conference? get in touch! DM or [email protected]

Thanks to @antipovertycentre.org for getting word on this Mutual obligation requirements have been paused for participants residing in the NSW Mid North Coast Region to Wednesday 28 May 2025 (inclusive). www.workforceaustralia.gov.au/individuals/...

One month away! We are getting ready to announce so many exciting speakers. Get your (free) ticket here 👇

There is nowhere and no one Labor can hide behind anymore They are the new conservative/ Tory party. Workers have no representation in parliament. Unemployed workers have even less.

A quick response is absolutely the right one. Be there!

Join @kristin8x.antipovertycentre.org and other Antipoverty Centre members to call on Albanese to do something real with his second term.

Also rightfully on the get your shit together @albomp.bsky.social bandwagon = @amnesty.org. "...support people experiencing homelessness, facing unjust eviction and living in unsafe, crowded housing in remote communities."

THIS ⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️

"No one left behind" Leaving the vulnerable behind. Compulsory Income Management is a human rights violation that is targeted toward First Nations people in Australia. Albanese promised to make it voluntary. He hasn't. @antipovertycentre.org @drtracywesterman.bsky.social #SundayShot #AusPol

Time for @albomp.bsky.social @jimchalmers.bsky.social Amanda Rishworth and Murray Watt to cut the crap, end the cruelty and use their majority to do something meaningful for poor people.

Perhaps Albo will feel secure enough to start growing a spine now.