This bill is currently before Parliament.
Welfare & housing
People whose debt came solely from a Commonwealth administrative errorA mistake made by a government agency. would have that part of the debt waived.
The evidence does not contain a government explanation for introducing the bill. Its sponsor, Andrew Wilkie (Independent), said the government had not made significant legal changes more than two years after the Robodebt royal commission, the inquiry into the unlawful debt scheme. He said Robodebt harmed thousands of Australians and argued that stronger rules were needed to stop it happening again. Helen Haines (Independent) also cited 964 JobSeeker recipients whose payments were unlawfully stopped between April 2022 and July 2024 because of computer-system problems.
Robodebt used an unlawful application of social security law, leaving almost 200,000 cases to be wiped and prompting Parliament to apologise to victims after the scheme’s human cost became clear. Although the government accepted the Royal Commission’s 56 recommendations, Andrew Wilkie MP introduced this private bill on 25 August 2025 to turn key lessons into safeguards: waiving Commonwealth-error debts, restoring a six-year recovery limit, requiring notice and human oversight for high-impact automated decisions, and extending crisis-payment application time.
No speaker in the supplied debate criticised the bill itself. Andrew Wilkie (Independent) instead criticised the government for failing to make significant legal changes during the two years after the Robodebt royal commission reported. He acknowledged progress in changing the culture of Services Australia, the agency that delivers federal payments, but said legal safeguards were still missing.
Andrew Wilkie MP introduced this bill. Supportive speeches so far have come from some crossbench members.
Did it become law?
Not yet
Final passage
No final vote yet
The bill has not yet completed passage through Parliament.
Days since introduction
347 days
Updated 07 Aug 2026.
Meaning
People whose debt came solely from a Commonwealth administrative errorA mistake made by a government agency. would have that part of the debt waived.
People affected by family or domestic violence could have debts waived when coercion caused incorrect information.
People with old social security, family assistance or student assistance debts could not face recovery action after six years.
People seeking crisis payments would have 14 days to apply, up from seven days, after four specified crises.
People receiving an automated decisionA decision made using a computer program. would be told a computer was involved and how to seek information or a review.
People facing certain automated decisions would get human reviewAn official checks a computer-made decision. first. This includes cancelled payments and debts of $2,000 or more.
People affected by payment-rule enforcement would benefit from an independent review every 12 months. Reports would reach Parliament within 15 sitting days.
1 Subsections 97(1) to (3) Repeal the subsections, substitute: (1) The Secretary must waive the right to recover the proportion (the administrative error proportion) of a debt that is attributable solely to an administrative error made by the Commonwealth. Social Security Act 1991 2 Subsections 1237A(1) and (1A) Repeal the subsections, substitute: Administrative error (1) The Secretary must waive the right to recover the proportion of a debt that is attributable solely to an administrative error made by the Commonwealth. Student Assistance Act 1973 3 Subsections 43B(1) and (2) RepealSocial Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Responding to Robodebt) introduced text
A New Tax System (Family Assistance) (Administration) Act 1999 4 Paragraph 101(a) Omit “or another person knowingly”, substitute “knowingly and willingly”. 5 At the end of section 101 Note: Circumstances where a person does not act willingly include acting under duress or under the influence of family or domestic violence. Social Security Act 1991 6 Paragraph 1237AAD(a) Omit “or another person knowingly”, substitute “knowingly and willingly”. 7 At the end of section 1237AAD Note 3: Circumstances where a person does not act willingly include acting under duress or under the influence oSocial Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Responding to Robodebt) introduced text
11 Section 93B Repeal the section, substitute: 93B Time limit on debt recovery For the purposes of this Part, legal proceedings or any action under a provision of this Part for the recovery of a debt or overpayment may not be commenced after 6 years has elapsed since the overpayment was made.Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Responding to Robodebt) introduced text
15 Paragraph 1061JG(1)(b) Omit “7 days”, substitute “14 days”. 16 Paragraph 1061JH(1)(e) Omit “7 days”, substitute “14 days”. 17 Paragraph 1061JHA(1)(f) Omit “7 days”, substitute “14 days”. 18 Paragraph 1061JI(1)(c) Omit “7 days”, substitute “14 days”.Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Responding to Robodebt) introduced text
13 After section 222 222A Notification of automated decisions Where a decision is the result of an arrangement made under section 223, or otherwise automated, the written notice of the decision must: (a) clearly explain that the decision is the result of automation, and (b) provide clear options for seeking further information and review of the decision.Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Responding to Robodebt) introduced text
14 After subsection 223(1) (1A) Decisions made by a computer program under subsection (1) must be subject to review by the Secretary or another officer before coming into effect if they relate to: (a) the cancellation of any payment or benefit; or (b) the raising of a debt of $2,000 or more; or (c) the exercise of a discretion; or (d) the review of a decision under Part 5 of this Act; or (e) making a garnishee request (or similar arrangement) to the Australian Taxation Office to recover a debt.Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Responding to Robodebt) introduced text
24 At the end of Part 2 10A Review of compliance activity (1) The Minister must cause an independent review of compliance activity undertaken under this Act to be undertaken every 12 months. (2) Without limiting the matters to be covered by the review, the review must consider the following matters: (a) trends in non‑compliance; (b) systemic factors leading to non‑compliance; (c) possible changes to legislation and systems which could reduce non‑compliance. (3) The persons who conduct the review must give the Minister a written report of the review. (4) The Minister must cause a copy oSocial Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Responding to Robodebt) introduced text
Context
Robodebt used an unlawful application of social security law, leaving almost 200,000 cases to be wiped and prompting Parliament to apologise to victims after the scheme’s human cost became clear. Although the government accepted the Royal Commission’s 56 recommendations, Andrew Wilkie MP introduced this private bill on 25 August 2025 to turn key lessons into safeguards: waiving Commonwealth-error debts, restoring a six-year recovery limit, requiring notice and human oversight for high-impact automated decisions, and extending crisis-payment application time.
Almost 200,000 Robodebt cases are wiped
The government confirmed that reviews of almost 200,000 unlawful Robodebt cases would be scrapped because the scheme had imposed a significant human cost.
The Guardian ↗Parliament apologises to Robodebt victims
Federal Parliament accepted the royal commission’s findings, expressed deep regret to victims and committed to ensuring the scheme was never repeated.
ABC News ↗Government accepts 56 Robodebt recommendations
The government accepted all 56 royal commission recommendations, including clearer review processes, oversight of automated decisions and six-year debt limits that required legislative change.
ABC News ↗Andrew Wilkie MP introduces a bill to prevent Robodebt recurring
Andrew Wilkie MP introduced the private member’s bill to change debt waivers, recovery limits, automated decisionA decision made using a computer program. safeguards and administration duties.
Parliamentary timeline ↗Legislative route
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
Introduced and read a first time
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
Second reading moved
Key criticism
No speaker in the supplied debate criticised the bill itself. Andrew Wilkie (Independent) instead criticised the government for failing to make significant legal changes during the two years after the Robodebt royal commission reported. He acknowledged progress in changing the culture of Services Australia, the agency that delivers federal payments, but said legal safeguards were still missing.
Helen Haines (Independent) supported the bill. She said it addressed unfinished work from the royal commission and would add human checks, automated-decision notices and a six-year debt-recovery limit.
Further sources
Votes
No recorded votes have been found yet for this bill.
Parliamentary debate
Start here — lead voices
Andrew Wilkie urges the House to pass his bill to prevent another robodebt by strengthening duties toward welfare recipients, regulating automated decisions, improving debt waivers and restoring a six-year limit on debt recovery.
Read in Hansard ↗Helen Haines supports the bill because it would complete unfinished reforms from the robodebt royal commission, strengthen human oversight of automated welfare decisions and better protect vulnerable social security recipients.
Read in Hansard ↗All speeches by bloc
2 speakers · 2 support
“And so that's what this bill aims to do: to improve and expand the principles and duties contained in social security law in line with the royal commission recommendation relating to the effects of robodebt on individuals, and to make other changes to the social security law to align with recommendations on compliance activities and vulnerability, automated decision-making, and debt recovery and collection practices.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“I second the motion. I'm proud to rise in support of the Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Responding to Robodebt) Bill 2025, moved by my friend the member for Clark. This bill represents unfinished business when it comes to robodebt, more than two years after the final report from the robodebt royal commission was handed down. It implements or complements some of the outstanding recommendations from the royal commission's final report. It sets out new positive duties that require the government to emphasise and prioritise the needs of social security recipients when administering social security law and designing systems and policies. It mandates human oversight of debts raised above $2,000 before the decisions come into effect or decisions which would cause the cancellation of a payment or benefit. It also mandates notifying recipients if a debt has been raised against them as a result of automation. It places a six-year time limit on debt recovery actions, among other measures.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
Record
House · Introduced and read a first time
Introduced
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
House · Second reading moved
Second reading opened
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
