This bill did not become law and is no longer proceeding.
Welfare & housing
People would not have to repay the part of a family assistance, social security or student assistance debt caused solely by a Commonwealth administrative errorA mistake made by a Commonwealth agency..
Andrew Wilkie (Independent) said Robodebt destroyed the lives of thousands of Australians and that legislative change was still missing. He said the bill aimed to prevent a repeat by improving how people receiving income support are treated, adding human checks to important computer-made decisions and making debt recovery fairer. Helen Haines (Independent) called the bill unfinished business more than two years after the royal commission's final report and cited a recent finding that IT problems had unlawfully ended payments to 964 JobSeeker recipients between April 2022 and July 2024.
The Robodebt Scheme was found to have relied largely on an unlawful application of social security law, and the Royal Commission’s final report identified legislative changes needed to stop similar failures recurring. Against claims that those recommendations remained unfinished, independent MP Andrew Wilkie introduced a private bill on 25 August 2025 to require more humane administration, human checks on high-impact automated decisions and fairer debt recovery; it was later removed from the Notice Paper without becoming law.
Andrew Wilkie (Independent) argued that the government had made some progress inside Services Australia but had left essential legal changes unfinished. He said community legal services were still seeing harm and distress from Centrelink debts. Helen Haines (Independent) warned that computer systems without human oversight were still preventing vulnerable people from receiving support, citing 964 unlawful payment cancellations linked to IT problems.
Andrew Wilkie MP introduced this bill. Speeches supporting it came from some crossbench members.
Did it become law?
No
The bill did not complete passage through Parliament.
Final passage
No final passage
The bill has not completed passage and is no longer proceeding.
Time before failure
211 days
From introduction to the final recorded step before the bill stopped proceeding
Meaning
People would not have to repay the part of a family assistance, social security or student assistance debt caused solely by a Commonwealth administrative errorA mistake made by a Commonwealth agency.. The bill removes the existing limits on when that part of a debt must be waived, and the change would cover debts incurred before, on or after the new rules begin.
A debt could be waived in special circumstances when someone knowingly gave incorrect information but did not do so willingly, including because of pressure or family or domestic violence. A waiver could also cover a debt caused by a perpetrator of family violence knowingly providing false information. It would not be automatic in every such case.
The government could not begin legal proceedings or other recovery action more than six years after an overpayment was made. This limit would apply to family assistance, social security and student assistance debts.
People would have 14 days, up from seven, to apply for a crisis paymentA payment available after specified extreme events. after leaving prison or psychiatric confinement, fleeing extreme circumstances at home, remaining home after a family member is removed because of violence, or arriving on a qualifying humanitarian visa.
A person must be told in writing when a decision was automated and given clear ways to seek more information or a review. Before taking effect, a computer-made decision must also be checked by a person if it cancels a payment, raises a debt of $2,000 or more, uses judgment allowed by the law, reviews an earlier decision, or asks the Australian Taxation Office to take money to recover a debt.
When administering family assistance, social security administration and student assistance laws, the responsible Secretary would have to consider good administration, including fair, courteous, prompt and cost-efficient service. The Secretary must also communicate clearly, avoid language or conduct that causes stigma or shame, make online, phone and in-person contact accessible, take practical steps not to worsen people's stress, and consider people in regional, rural and remote areas.
An independent review of social security compliance activityGovernment work checking whether people follow social security rules. would be required every 12 months. It must examine trends and underlying causes of people not following the rules, as well as possible improvements to laws and systems. The reviewers must report to the minister, who must table the report in each house of Parliament within 15 sitting days after receiving it.
A New Tax System (Family Assistance) (Administration) Act 1999 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. SSocial 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
A New Tax System (Family Assistance) (Administration) Act 1999 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
Social Security Act 1991 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. 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 orSocial Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Responding to Robodebt) introduced text
12 After section 220 220AA Principles of administration In administering the family assistance law, the Secretary is to have regard to: (a) the desirability of achieving the following results: (i) the ready availability to members of the public of advice and information services relating to income support generally and to the social security payments that are available; (ii) the ready availability of publications containing clear statements about income support entitlements and procedural requirements; (iii) the delivery of services under the law and in accordance with the principles ofSocial 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
The Robodebt Scheme was found to have relied largely on an unlawful application of social security law, and the Royal Commission’s final report identified legislative changes needed to stop similar failures recurring. Against claims that those recommendations remained unfinished, independent MP Andrew Wilkie introduced a private bill on 25 August 2025 to require more humane administration, human checks on high-impact automated decisions and fairer debt recovery; it was later removed from the Notice Paper without becoming law.
The Robodebt Royal Commission reports on an unlawful debt scheme
The commission found that the scheme was based largely on an unlawful application of social security law and said legislative changes were needed to prevent a recurrence.
Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Responding to Robodebt) explanatory memorandum ↗Andrew Wilkie introduces a private Robodebt reform bill
The independent member introduced the bill and said legislative safeguards were still needed after the Royal Commission’s findings, including human oversight of important automated decisions and fairer debt recovery.
Hansard ↗The bill is removed from the Notice Paper
The bill was removed from the Notice Paper under standing order 42, so the proposed reforms did not proceed to a recorded passage or Royal Assent.
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
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Key criticism
Andrew Wilkie (Independent) argued that the government had made some progress inside Services Australia but had left essential legal changes unfinished. He said community legal services were still seeing harm and distress from Centrelink debts. Helen Haines (Independent) warned that computer systems without human oversight were still preventing vulnerable people from receiving support, citing 964 unlawful payment cancellations linked to IT problems.
The evidence pack contains no speech arguing against the bill. It does, however, record criticism of the government's response: Wilkie said necessary legal change remained unfinished and that community legal services continued to see harm and distress from Centrelink debts.
Further sources
Votes
No recorded votes were found before this bill stopped proceeding.
Parliamentary debate
Start here — lead voices
Wilkie supports the bill, arguing it would implement key robodebt royal commission recommendations by making Services Australia treat people with dignity, regulating automated decisions, improving debt waivers and restoring a six-year limit on debt recovery.
Read in Hansard ↗Haines supports the bill as necessary unfinished work from the robodebt royal commission, arguing that stronger human oversight and safeguards are needed to prevent unlawful automated decisions from harming vulnerable welfare recipients.
Read in Hansard ↗All speeches by bloc
2 speakers · 2 support
“To conclude, my crossbench colleagues and I are ready and keen to work with the government to ensure robodebt never happens again. Hence I urge the Minister for Social Services, the Minister for Government Services, the Prime Minister and, in fact, all members of this House to finally come together at the table for legislative reform to ensure such catastrophic failures of social services administration can never happen again.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“Robodebt cannot be allowed to be forgotten or to be repeated. We can't allow the most vulnerable in our community to come up against the might of the government—of automated systems—without compassion or compromise. Yet I worry that bills like this and the ethos behind them are needed more than ever.”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.
House · Removed from the Notice Paper in accordance with (SO 42)
Removed from the Notice Paper in accordance with (SO 42)
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
