NewsBite

Scott Morrison sorry about robo-debt

Scott Morrison has apologised in parliament for any ‘hurt or harm’ caused by the government’s robo-debt scheme.

Scott Morrison in question time on Thursday. Picture: Getty Images
Scott Morrison in question time on Thursday. Picture: Getty Images

Scott Morrison has apologised in parliament for any “hurt or harm” caused by the government’s robo-debt scheme.

The Prime Minister on ­Thursday said “the business of raising and recovering debts on behalf of taxpayers is a difficult job and it deals with Australians in many very sensitive ­circumstances”.

The government earlier this month announced it would return $721 million to 373,000 people chased for debts through the ­program. Opposition government ser­vices spokesman Bill Shorten in the House of Representatives cited the example of an elderly cancer sufferer who was “ripped to shreds” over a $2300 robo-debt while he was in hospital.

Mr Morrison in response said he “would apologise for any hurt or harm in the way that the government has dealt with that issue”.

Labor MP Josh Burns said “it shouldn’t have taken this long” for the PM to apologise for the scheme. “Ultimately … the government needs to treat people who are ­engaging with the Centrelink process with a bit more respect,” Mr Burns said.

The automated scheme is now the subject of a class-action suit.

Add your comment to this story

To join the conversation, please Don't have an account? Register

Join the conversation, you are commenting as Logout

Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/scott-morrison-sorry-about-robodebt/news-story/783b788de5f173a0a14269c6a3649aad