Hundreds of thousands of Centrelink payments cancelled illegally, Albanese government admits

Senate estimates hearing told issues caused by a glitch in the automated system that runs the controversial mutual obligations scheme

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The government has admitted it illegally cancelled hundreds of thousands of Centrelink payments because of a glitch in the automated system that runs the controversial mutual obligations scheme, it has been revealed.

Speaking at senate estimates on Wednesday, representatives for the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations said the number of illegal cancellations, where people were not given enough time to reconnect to a job provider after missing a compulsory activity as part of their mutual obligations, was in “the vicinity” of 300,000.