Topic analysis

Hundreds of thousands of Centrelink payments cancelled illegally, Albanese government admits

The Albanese government has admitted approximately 300,000 Centrelink payments were illegally cancelled due to a glitch in the automated mutual obligations scheme, where recipients did not receive the mandatory 28-day notice period before cancellation. Payment cancellations have been paused since July 2024; while the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations is overhauling the employment services system, critics like Economic Justice Australia and the Antipoverty Centre argue reforms fail to address ongoing unlawful penalties and lack meaningful change.