Amanda Rishworth has decided the best response to unlawful use of welfare penalties is to spend $44 million beefing up the welfare cop apparatus. "It will not stop the threats, the bullying, abuse and the unlawful payment suspension decisions that derail people’s lives." – @jeremypoxon.bsky.social

Her first assistant secretary also got the arse last year for tech glitches that wrongfully punished job seekers www.innovationaus.com/gig-guide-wo...

Another public servant bites the dust who's job involved ensuring the welfare compliance machine stayed on – just one week after the 2nd Ombudsman's report on unlawful administration of penalties. When will Labor deal with the real problem & end the thing? www.themandarin.com.au/305013-depar...

I boycott any "charity" that uses forced labour, including "vinnies". Any "charity" that pays no tax, and is part of the "work for the dole" bullshit, will get nothing from me. This Labor gov't has the same policies of hate and punishment of the poor, as the LNP does, I despise both of them.

These corporate charities claim they exist to help the poor. Meanwhile they are annoyed that poor people get a break from doing forced unpaid labour at christmas. Give money to poor people not charities. PSA: compulsory activities for people on Centrelink payments are paused from 16 Dec to 5 Jan

Don't believe Labor voters expected this. Punishing those doing it tough while allowing billion dollar corporations to escape tax altogether is now the Australian way.

Excellent work by all at the Anti-poverty Centre @antipovertycentre.org

An economist can correct me if I’m wrong, but as I understand it, the system as *designed* REQUIRES ~4-5% unemployment. It then punishes those people for being unemployed, including a payment so low it actively hinders seeking employment. Then blames them for being unemployed. DARVO as policy.

Our backgrounder on the unlawful use of Centrelink payment penalties has now been updated with key excerpts and analysis from the Ombudsman's report. Check it out here: bit.ly/TCF_backgrou...

Thanks @3crmelbourne.bsky.social for having us on to talk about what is happening in the system of compulsory activities known as "mutual" obligations and what the Commonwealth Ombudsman found in his latest investigation into unlawful penalties for people on Centrelink payments. Interview from 1:10

Thinking of this in light of any real reform following the Robodebt scandal, the refusal to raise the social security rate to any substantial level, and the acknowledgement by the public service that 140 aspects of the social security system have been operating illegally.

"It was court rulings, the threat of mass compensations and deaths which made the Morrison government act on robodebt... ongoing reports from advocates, legal experts and those caught in the system prove beyond a doubt the fire isn’t just burning, it’s burning out of control." Ty Amy for reporting

Centrelink payment suspensions cause distress, waste time and subject people in poverty to abuse by welfare cops. 2.7 million payment suspension notices a year and the system that applies them doesn't even hold the information to check whether they are lawful or not.

"Payment suspensions cause immeasurable damage to our lives, destabilising people when we are already struggling to survive. This scandal must end, not when the government decides what tweaks it would like to make to this system, but now." @antipovertycentre.org www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

Significant statement from the Ombudsman on payment suspensions - the system is unfairly and unlawfully punishing people who are "below the poverty line" and are "unlikely to find ongoing employment no matter how hard they try to comply with the requirements placed upon them"

#BREAKING: The Commonwealth Ombudsman has published their investigation into the Targeted Compliance Framework & Mutual Obligations system Their findings on the Department's administration of many parts of the system are incredibly damning 👇

Secretary defends job providers' use of payment suspensions, as she's "interrogated the system in a very active way" So, she's asked about @antipovertycentre.org analysis, showing the system is threatening 5 payment suspensions a minute, & admits she didn't even check this data. Such interrogation!

The average value of a household’s energy debt increased by $219 last year - to $1,367 via @antipovertycentre.org

“Social security law decisions are being made at a rate of millions a year, and we have extensive evidence of the problems with unlawful decisions on suspensions, and no action is being taken." Thank you @dholmesnoise.bsky.social @themandarin.bsky.social for reporting.

Labor's one concrete promise to welfare recipients in 2022 was to abolish compulsory cashless welfare.

This is a disgrace. Every single MP and Senator who voted for this should lose their seat. Forget politics, it violates a fundamental legal principle: you're innocent until proven guilty. I hope the High Court quashes this on a challenge. It's clearly punitive action by the executive.

A stupid and unjust entangling of policing and welfare. The Albanese govt should put their time and effort into things that would make a real difference: fixing the ineffective job provider scheme, and getting rid of the cruel and counterproductive 'mutual obligation' system. #poverty #auspol

Disgraceful

"Welfare recipients have a right to be treated equally under the law, and should not be subject to punishment before having access to legal advice for any reason, ever. This heinous new law must be reversed." This is an appalling law that will further criminalise poverty. #auspol

Plibersek is burying herself in this portfolio. Although it really brings out her true colours.

There is no justification for punishment before conviction. But even the government’s desperate attempt to put bandaids on this thing is laughable. Oh, you plan to tell the ombudsman you cancelled someone’s payment after you’ve done it? Who cares, it’s not like he can stop you???

Today @tanyaplibersekmp.bsky.social succeeded in establishing new powers to cancel Centrelink payments before conviction. Thanks @senatorthorpe.bsky.social @andrewwilkiemp.bsky.social @davidpocock.bsky.social @pennyallmanpayne.com for trying to stop this dangerous law.

Sadly, they cut a deal with the Libs to indeed rush this through

good to see some small studies now on how the NDIS interacts with other systems. we need much more of this theconversation.com/the-ndis-shi...

Governments can and should buy and build public homes. Enough for all who want to live in one. It benefits the people who get to live in them AND stabilises the private rental market, in turn stabilising house prices.

Giaan, 17, had her life taken by the system meant to protect her. When will we break the chain of harm & coercion? We desperately need a comprehensive & empowered watchdog over mental health services—one w lived experience leaders & real power to act. 9now.nine.com.au/a-current-af...

this is about as far from the recommendations from the Disability Royal Commission as possible. only covers NDIS services, doesn't talk about the horrifying rates of abuse and violence against us in EVERY single system consultations.health.gov.au/disability-a...

sounds familiar 🤔

This decision last week flew under the radar - case could have significant ramifications for Centrelink debt decisions

#nzpol #jobcuts #Neoliberalism #austerity #homelessness #poverty #NZGovtFail

The National Socialist Network held an antisemitic rally outside New South Wales Parliament today - astoundingly, it's emerged this afternoon that they did this with approval from NSW Police. www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw...

The gummint mandates 4.5% of the workforce have to be unemployed to benefit the economy then force those people to live below the poverty line. That isn’t support. That’s cruelty for the sake of it.

Barangaroo exemplar of worse practice, now with smidge of affordable housing (just 2.3%) given ‘poor door’ entry @jennyleong.bsky.social spot on; “outsourced the responsibility of housing delivery” to developers, giving them “more control over affordable housing”. www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

Ty @jennaprice.bsky.social for this article (🔗 below), particularly for sharing a quote that exposes the minister actively lying about what her proposal does. It will not at all work like a payment suspension for someone on remand – it is a payment cancellation and there is no access to ART review.

Many of the groups calling on @tanyaplibersekmp.bsky.social to abandon her plan to involve police & ministers in cancelling Centrelink payments for someone accused of a serious offence work directly with people affected by family violence. To suggest they don’t take it seriously is vile. Apologise.

broke: food vouchers woke: liveable welfare payments for all who need them including those in low paid jobs bespoke: pay your fucking employees enough for them to live comfortably

The government's last-minute addition to its social security bill, granting the Minister power to suspend or cancel welfare payments before a person is convicted of a crime, will see children going hungry, Independent Senator Lidia Thorpe says.

Christopher Rudge’s article on the Federal Court’s decision provides useful background and analysis theconversation.com/the-ghost-of...

Labor's income apportionment bill may turn out to be completely dead in the water, because it's not just a shady power grab. It's supposed to be about a dodgy patch up of millions of unlawfully calculated debts. Debt calculations that will now be considered by the high court.

what is wrong with the social services minister and why is she in charge of policies that are supposed to be about supporting and caring for people

Huge result for now. Rapid response starting last Thursday to establish a united front of community and civil society organisations. Gonna be much tougher for them to get this through from here 👍

So, @tanyaplibersekmp.bsky.social lost the public argument on this wretched amendment, allowing police to cancel Centrelink payments for ppl who have not been found guilty So she went on Sky News to defame legal, disability, & community advocates as well as Senator Thorpe revolting stuff

The minister is continuing to weaponise the harm done to people subjected to violence, even when groups representing folks affected by it are pleading with her to stop what she is doing. The government is taking advantage of the community's natural emotional reactions to acts of violence.

This is doing my head in. Who is this for? Why are Labor even persuing it? How many people do they expect to impacted by this change that makes it neccessary or important? Un-fckn-fathomable.

Disability groups have released a statement: "We are deeply concerned that communities traditionally over-policed & disadvantaged, including First Nations people with disability, would be at heightened risk" The whole statement is well worth reading. Ty @amyremeikis.bsky.social for reporting.