Debt Waiver Requirements and Administration Standards for Social Security and Student Assistance Payments

FED Debt Waiver Requirements and Administration Standards for Social Security and Student Assistance Payments

Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Responding to Robodebt) Bill 2025

Independent Bill

24 Mar 2026: This bill has lapsed and is no longer under discussion.

House of Representatives

Senate

Assent

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Topics

administrative error automated decision making domestic violence government debt public assistance social security welfare payments

Introduced by: Andrew Wilkie MP (IND)

Links to official parliament websites

Official page: progress through parliament

Effects of this bill

If this bill passes, it means that:

The Social Services Secretary must waive debts caused solely by Commonwealth administrative errors.

The government cannot start legal action to recover overpayments after 6 years.

The Social Services Secretary must use plain language and avoid shaming people when administering payments.

Automated decisions must include a written notice explaining the automation and how to seek a review.

A person must review computer-generated decisions before they take effect if they cancel a benefit or raise a debt of $2,000 or more.

The Social Services Minister must order an independent review of compliance activity every 12 months; the resulting report must be tabled in Parliament.

The criteria for waiving debt due to family violence now include whether a person acted 'knowingly and willingly'.

The Debate

What different members said when this bill was debated:

Andrew Wilkie IND

“I move: That this bill be now read a second time. The community has been waiting over two years now for the federal government to enact significant legislative reform following the final report of the royal commission into robodebt.”

Official source →

Helen Haines IND

“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.”