I wrote a Letter to the Editor

[Bretrick]

Robodebt, next steps
Now we know that 16 bureaucrats have been referred for investigation we need to also refer the debt collection agencies as well.
It was their constant harassing phone calls that led to some recipients to end their lives.
I believe that involuntary manslaughter charges should be considered.
If an employer is negligent in decisions and practices that led to someone dying can be charged,tell me what is the difference?
Decisions and lack of action from the public servants led to innocent lives being lost.
Constant harassment by the debt collectors led to lives being lost.
Let's do right by the families who lost loved ones and charge these people.

What is Robodebt?
Introduced in 2015 as part of the then Liberal-National Coalition Government's strategy to reduce the fiscal deficit, Robodebt was a compliance and debt recovery programme to claw back supposed overpayments to welfare recipients.
Many of these debts were wrong.

 

[Remy]

Good for you Bretrick! Yes sadly, our protests fall on deaf ears. People get by with all kinds of things and the rich get richer. I don't know how to change it.

 

[VaughanJB]

Robodebt, next steps
Now we know that 16 bureaucrats have been referred for investigation we need to also refer the debt collection agencies as well.
It was their constant harassing phone calls that led to some recipients to end their lives.
I believe that involuntary manslaughter charges should be considered.
If an employer is negligent in decisions and practices that led to someone dying can be charged,tell me what is the difference?
Decisions and lack of action from the public servants led to innocent lives being lost.
Constant harassment by the debt collectors led to lives being lost.
Let's do right by the families who lost loved ones and charge these people.

What is Robodebt?
Introduced in 2015 as part of the then Liberal-National Coalition Government's strategy to reduce the fiscal deficit, Robodebt was a compliance and debt recovery programme to claw back supposed overpayments to welfare recipients.
Many of these debts were wrong.

I recently saw a piece interviewing Social Security recipients in the US being contacted for repayments of benefits that had been miscalculated. That would be fair enough, but it turns out that a) Social Security have no responsibility if a benefit is over-paid; and b) There is no time limit to when money can be reclaimed.

As such, it showed a retired couple who were told they owe $50,000 due to an over payment from 11 years previous. They had submitted all relevant paperwork, and updated their information as it changed. The couple were now of retirement age and in ill health, and the only way they could pay that money back was either to sell their house, or to hand over all of the life savings. They chose the latter, but now have no money to support themselves.

I don't actually know how this is handled in the UK, but one would assume those accessing claims held responsibility for getting the amount correct. If there is proven fraud by the claimant, fair enough, but if the error is by the agency.........

As for debt collectors, they're not nice people, and the law leans too far on their side. In the UK we have the absurdity of TV licensing, who, in inclined, can call in the Police and gain entry to your home to ascertain if you have a TV or not. It's a disgrace.

 

[Pepper]

Yes, the TV licensing, and the powers behind it, really freaked me out when I lived in England @VaughanJB. I also had a police officer show up at my home at 4am to rudely and threateningly question me as to a minor, very minor, car PARKING incident!!!!!!!!!!! Felt I was in the Gulag.

 

[VaughanJB]

Yes, the TV licensing, and the powers behind it, really freaked me out when I lived in England @VaughanJB. I also had a police officer show up at my home at 4am to rudely and threateningly question me as to a minor, very minor, car PARKING incident!!!!!!!!!!! Felt I was in the Gulag.

TV Licensing itself is one thing, but they contract out their "investigations" to thugs. Oh, no, debt collection agencies, my bad. Then they have obscene powers to both harass and then get into homes, aided by the police. Ostensively, the Police accompany bailiffs to bang on your front door. The police are there to silence you. So, if you tell the bailiff to "please leave you are annoying me" (or not in so many words!) the cop will arrest you for obstruction. It's a silly game they play.

I don't mind saying it, I think the BBC does a great job. Yes they've had scandals, but name me a media organization that hasn't. They do a lot of good work, and are certainly better than most. The TV license though - it's time has passed, imo. It's 2023, we can access media from anywhere in the world. People can effectively broadcast their views and have a platform of their own. We have subscriptions, we can "rent" programs online, and so on. It seems archaic to have to buy an annual license to watch television in the UK.

 

[Bretrick]

My letter was published by the State Newspaper - The West Australian - on Wednesday 22 November.