Centrelink crackdown to hit welfare recipients hard
A Centrelink crackdown is set to hit welfare recipients hard, with the Federal Government flagging its intention to go after the 170,000 Australians with welfare debts.
ABC reports the government is threatening to charge interest on funds owed, which has spiralled into debts totalling more than $900 million nationally.
"Some of these debts go back up to 15 years," Human Services Minister Michael Keenan said.
The Federal Government has not charged interest on these sort of debts before, but Mr Keenan believes it has been far too lenient in the past.
"People just haven't made any effort to repay it, and the Commonwealth has continued to engage with people, reminding them to repay it," Mr Keenan said.
"There's all sorts of ways that we can escalate that, including sending our debt collectors."
ABC reports the Department of Human Services has started to get in touch with people with outstanding debts, telling them they have a month to commit to a repayment plan otherwise they risk being slugged interest charges.
"If people are deliberately defrauding us, then we will make referrals of that to the police, and they will look at it in conjunction with the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions," Mr Keenan said.
What are your thoughts? Think this is fair?