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How To Get Alan Tudge To Notice You Without Even Really Trying (Criticize Centrelink, He’ll Pull Your File)

3 March 2017
New Matilda

Estimates can often be boring, as senators plough their way through the progress of this or that infrastructure program or service delivery roll-out. But every so often, it produces gripping scenes.
That was the case yesterday in the Senate’s Community Affairs committee, where the Secretary of the Department of Human Services, Kathryn Campbell, was called upon to give evidence.

How To Get Alan Tudge To Notice You Without Even Really Trying (Criticize Centrelink, He’ll Pull Your File)

3 March 2017
New Matilda

Estimates can often be boring, as senators plough their way through the progress of this or that infrastructure program or service delivery roll-out. But every so often, it produces gripping scenes.
That was the case yesterday in the Senate’s Community Affairs committee, where the Secretary of the Department of Human Services, Kathryn Campbell, was called upon to give evidence.

Digital Transformation Office 'locked out' of robo-debt debacle: Paul Shetler

3 March 2017
Canberra Times

The Prime Minister's Digital Transformation Office was "locked out" of helping with Centrelink's robo-debt, the former head of the agency says.
Paul Shetler, who was handpicked by Mr Turnbull to lead the government's technological revolution, says he and his colleagues first heard about the automatically generated debt program in the media.

Centrelink: Labor refers minister to Australian Federal Police over alleged privacy breaches

2 March 2017
SMH

Labor frontbencher Linda Burney has referred Human Services Minister Alan Tudge to federal police over allegations he broke social security laws by releasing the personal information of a Centrelink recipient to the media.
Ms Burney, Labor's human services spokeswoman, described the case as "shocking".

Labor asks AFP to investigate minister

2 March 2017
The Mercury

Labor has asked federal police to investigate whether the minister responsible for Centrelink broke the law in sharing private information without consent.
Opposition MP Linda Burney has asked the AFP to investigate whether Human Services Minister Alan Tudge acted illegally in releasing an individual's personal Centrelink details to the media.

Department of Human Services defends release of personal information of blogger critical of Centrelink

2 March 2017
ABC News

The Department of Human Services (DHS) has defended the release of a welfare recipient's personal and protected information to a journalist, insisting it was proportionate and legal.
The release has been criticised by the Federal Opposition and lawyers who believe it may have a chilling impact on welfare recipients who would otherwise criticise the Government.

Centrelink debt: agency defends monitoring welfare complaints on social media

2 March 2017
Barossa Herald

Human Services Minister Alan Tudge is getting regular updates from his department on welfare recipients who are "criticising or unhappy with the system", a senate estimates committee has been told, as Centrelink staff trawl social media to keep an eye on people complaining about their treatment by the agency.
On Monday, department chiefs were interrogated about the decision to release the personal financial information of a Centrelink recipient to a journalist for an article published in The Canberra Times.

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