Submission to: The Australian Government Department of Social Services
Along with other consumer groups and charities, the financial counselling peak bodies have been highlighting significant issues with Centrepay for many years. The overriding concern is the harm caused by the misuse of Centrepay. There is a growing body of evidence showing the system can cause financial harm to vulnerable people. This submission has a series of recommendations based on the experiences of those working in our sector and answers to the questions outlined in the Centrepay Reform Discussion Paper, May 2024.