The centrelink debt recovery system was originally initiated by labor when the ATO computer system and the Centrelink computer system became able to cross reference tax information with welfare payments, and found discrepancies that indicated potential $bns in unwarranted payments to 100 000s of recipients.

What the labor left whinge scare campaign ignores is that 80% of those contacted acknowledge and pay the debt, of the remaining 20% who challenge the debt, the majority end up paying some or all of the debt, and the handful for whom it is found that there is no debt, the original discrepancy is generally found to be due to omissions on their part.

http://www.smh.com.au/comment/centrelink-is-an-easy-target-for-complaints-but-there-are-two-sides-to-every-story-20170224-gukr4x.html

For example a blogger "Andie Fox" whose highly publicised fight that she won against centrelink "forgot" to mention that "forgot" to file her 2011/12 tax return and "forgot" to inform Centrelink that she had split from her partner, which would have prevented this situation in the first place.

In just about every single sob story told by Labor in parliament with tearful eye and trembling lip has a backstory where the "victim" has been outright negligent or even wildly dishonest.

Can the system be improved? Absolutely, and Centrelink has already taken steps to facilitate the reconciliation process. However, the populist implications by Labor and the greens that these "victims" should be able to keep their often ill gotten gains is ludicrous.

Gawd, what a lot of carryon on this subject.
It is very simple.
The Tax Dept says that they have been notified by employers, banks
etc and yourself that you received so many dollars.

You notified Centrelink that you received a different number of dollars.

Why is it so ? Please explain.

Now what is so terrible about that ?