Services Australia is restarting repayments on about 147,000 debts calculated using income apportionment, a method a Federal Court test case once found unlawful. New legislation has validated those debts, and repayments paused since 2023 are being restarted progressively. Some affected people say the debts are inaccurate, with one Adelaide mother saying debts from more than a decade ago have reappeared after six years. Services Australia says the scheme is not Robodebt and that the debts were calculated from actual earnings. A compensation scheme allows claims of up to $600, with applications open until January 29, 2027.
The federal government has resumed some paused parts of its Targeted Compliance Framework, which tracks jobseekers' mutual obligations. The components were halted in July 2024 after the federal ombudsman found almost 1,000 payments had been unlawfully cancelled. A Senate estimates hearing later revealed the number affected was in the vicinity of 30,000. Employment secretary Simon Duggan said compensation for eligible people has begun. Remaining measures allowing payment reductions or cancellations are expected to resume in early 2027, once safeguards are in place.
Two Canberra charities say an estimated one in seven residents is now living in poverty, the highest proportion since 2001. ACTCOSS and St Vincent de Paul Society Canberra/Goulburn are calling on governments to introduce an official poverty measure, raise welfare payments and invest more in public housing. The charities report that some working families are seeking emergency help and that some parents are skipping meals so their children can eat. Their report was released during Anti-Poverty Week.
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Police have located Heather Gardner, 39, who had been missing from Goulburn. She was last seen on Williams Street at about 7pm on Sunday, October 18. When she could not be located or contacted, Hume police began inquiries into where she was. Police and family had serious concerns for her welfare. Police have advised that Ms Gardner has been found.
Advocates protested outside Federal Health Minister Mark Butler's office in Port Adelaide last Friday, as Anti-Poverty Week drew to a close. The protest was held to call for action on poverty. Their concerns included figures from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, which reports that people receiving welfare payments have a mortality rate nine times higher than other Australians. Anti-Poverty Week ends on Saturday, October 17.
The Grattan Institute has proposed lifting the Goods and Services Tax from 10 to 15 per cent and applying it to food, which it estimates would raise about $76 billion a year. The think tank says $58 billion of that should cut income taxes for low and middle earners and boost welfare payments, with the remainder going to the states. Its modelling suggests lower-income households and welfare recipients would be better off, while high-income earners would pay more.
The Grattan Institute proposes raising the Goods and Services Tax from 10 to 15 per cent to tackle mounting government debt. The think tank says the increase could raise about $76 billion a year, with $58 billion used to cut income taxes and boost welfare payments. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Labor had not considered a GST increase. A separate study by e61–UNSW Policy Research Partnership found the GST may be less regressive than commonly thought when spending is measured over a longer period.
New research from the Australian Council of Social Service and UNSW finds three in four households reliant on JobSeeker are living in poverty. The study found one in five older singles and one in six children in income support households are also poor. ACOSS chief executive Cassandra Goldie said almost two million people relying on government support are being pushed to the brink of destitution. UNSW researcher Carla Treloar said JobSeeker households had incomes averaging $331 a week below the poverty line.
A man reported missing from Labrador on the Gold Coast has been located safe and well, Queensland Police say. Police thanked the community for its help. The update follows an earlier appeal for urgent public assistance to find the man, who was reported missing after failing to return home on 16 October. Police have removed all identifying information and images from the release for privacy reasons.
Queensland Police have confirmed that a man reported missing from Shorncliffe on 14 October has been found safe and well. Officers thanked the public for helping in the search. The man had last been seen at Cabbage Tree Creek at about 1pm on 14 October, and police and his family had expressed concern for his welfare. The original appeal sought information about his whereabouts. The identifying details and images from the earlier release have since been removed for privacy reasons.
Dog behaviour specialists who visited India to observe free-living street dogs found the animals socially skilled, resilient and capable of handling busy streets. The researchers say pet dogs face different risks, so there is no single model for a good dog life. They suggest that some behavioural problems in pet dogs may reflect the conditions owners create, including confinement and tight control. Participants said the experience made them ask how pet dogs could be given more autonomy and the chance to make their own decisions.
Authorities are seeking help to find Kristy Robinson, a 50-year-old woman last spotted in Cambridge Park, New South Wales, on Wednesday morning. Police and relatives are worried about her safety, as she has not been seen or heard from since. Robinson, of Caucasian descent, stands approximately 170cm tall, has a medium build, and shoulder-length brown hair. She is known to visit Werrington, Penrith, and the Blue Mountains. Investigators believe she may be driving a white Holden Barina sedan with NSW plates DWN60R.
Authorities are seeking assistance to locate Liarna Peters, a 14-year-old girl who vanished from Warilla on Tuesday morning. Police were alerted to her disappearance late last night, with concerns raised due to her age. Described as having long brown hair and a slender build, Liarna is known to visit areas including Warilla, Oak Flats, Berkeley and Mt Druitt. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Lake Illawarra Police or Crime Stoppers.
