The scheme. From 2016 the government raised welfare overpayment debts using an automated comparison of averaged annual tax data with fortnightly benefit records, shifting the burden of proof to recipients.
The findings. The Royal Commission described the scheme as crude and cruel and found it was neither fair nor legal; it made recommendations on automated decision-making, including clear avenues for review.
Why it matters. Together with the Dutch childcare-benefits scandal, Robodebt is one of the best-documented cases of automated administration harming large numbers of people, and a reference point for appeal rights.
Original source: Commonwealth of Australia