In July 2016 the Australian Government rolled out a new automated income matching system for detecting and recovering debts. The Online Compliance Intervention Program, which soon became known as “Robodebt”, was designed to help the Department of Human Services collect $4.5 million in debt every day. In that sense, it was super efficient. Too efficient, even.
Robodebt resulted in up to 20 per cent (possibly $3,075,503 worth) of demands to repay debt that were incorrectly issued to the most vulnerable Australians.
At a Senate Committee hearing last week – specifically looking into digital services – the Acting Deputy Secretary of Integrity and Information Jason McNamara insisted Robodebt “went well”.
As reported by Innovation A…
Read the full article at: https://www.gizmodo.com.au/2018/03/the-department-of-human-services-says-robodebt-went-well-and-delivered-lots-of-savings/