That’s significantly higher than the 12.5% of non robo-debt cases referred to private debt collectors in 2015-16. Private debt collectors are working on commission for Centrelink, although the government has refused to disclose what rate it is paying them. The chief executive of the Australian Council of Social Service, Cassandra Goldie, said she was “horrified” at the frequency with which Centrelink was referring robo-debt cases to private debt collectors. Private debt collectors are subject to consumer law and the ACCC/Asic debt collection guidelines. Surveys are also conducted with individuals who are targeted by external debt collectors to get a sense of how they have been treated.

Source: The Guardian April 11, 2017 20:12 UTC