Write down the payment for the “illegal” Australian defense scheme

Hundreds of thousands of Australians are forced to return welfare debt created by an illegal automated system, received the largest payment in the history of the country.

The scheme, known as “Robodebt”, mistakenly informed the recipients of well -being that they had been overpay and demanded from the repayment of these debts, which often never existed.

In 2020, a successful class action led to a $ 1.8 billion settlement (£ 876 million; 1.2 billion) for the victims of this scheme – some of which took their lives.

However, the group’s lawyers appealed for additional money after the new data showed that the officials of the then liberal government knew that the scheme was “illegal” but still continued.

On Thursday, the current labor government announced that it would resolve this statement and submit an additional $ 475 million. In compensation for the damage caused by the “illegal and immoral scheme of Robodbt”.

Another $ 13.5 million was also scheduled for court costs and up to $ 60 million to manage compensation scheme.

“(This) is simple and fair,” said Prosecutor General Michel Rowland, adding that it reflects the damage caused to thousands of vulnerable Australians under a “catastrophic” scheme.

Lawyers in the class stated that additional compensation was “confirmation and check” for the victims.

“Today, it is also another confirmation that Australia remains a nation that rules the laws, not kings, which are even responsible for the government,” Peter Gordon told reporters, the Australian broadcast corporation (ABC) reports.

One of the victims, Felicity Button, told reporters that it was a bitter moment because some victims lost their family members, survived a divorce or went bankrupt.

“The irreparable mental health problems that followed from this … we can never compensate it.”

More than 440,000 people were estimated at an illegal system, which took place from 2016 to 2019 under the conservative government of former Prime Minister Scott Morrison. It was aimed at saving about $ 1.7 billion.

The victims were Some of the poorest in the countryand Significant request Heard the scheme led at least three suicides.

The Royal Commission is the most powerful form of Australia’s public investigation into the scheme that ended in mid -2013 and attracted hundreds of public materials.

He heard the algorithm used to determine whether someone was overpayed on undulying calculations, on average income from the weekly human income.

This income was used to determine how much welfare was paid, but the calculation led to mistakes when the benefit of the well -being worked for irregular hours from the week.

The commission also revealed new evidence that they showed senior civil servants who developed and managed the scheme, knew it was illegal.

This pushed lawyers engaged in class actions to appeal the initial settlement and demand additional compensation from the “wrong admission to public positions”.