Australia’s biggest class action settlement approved   :) 

Jun 24, 2026
New Daily



Australia’s biggest class action settlement in history will be paid out to victims of the government’s robodebt scheme after a lengthy court approval process.

About 125,000 registered claimants who were affected by the federal government’s unlawful debt collection method will receive $475 million in compensation between them.


The Robodebt system was designed to fix overpayment of social security benefits, but it resulted in hundreds of thousands of people being wrongly accused of owing the government money between 2015 and 2019.

Some of Australia’s most vulnerable people entered into extreme debt, went without food or even died by suicide as a result.

The bungled program has cost the government more than $2.4 billion following multiple class actions.

Federal Court Justice Jonathan Beach ruled on Tuesday that an additional settlement of $548.5 million, including the approved compensation figure, was fair and reasonable.

It also includes up to $13.5 million in legal costs, to be paid by the Commonwealth.

Class action representatives will be paid between $20,000 and $25,000 each for “inconvenience occurred over a number of years”.

The settlement comes on top of an earlier $112 million agreement that lawyers successfully appealed.


Justice Beach thanked victims who had been part of various class actions since 2019, particularly Jenny Miller and Kath Madgwick.


They lost their sons, Rhys Cauzzo and Jarrad Madgwick, to suicide after they were issued with robodebt notices.

“I did appreciate hearing their perspectives and the fortitude that has been shown particularly from the two mothers whose sons were lost,” the judge said.

He added the “fiasco” was an opportunity to learn lessons, chastising government officials who were ‘insulated and detached” from the consequences of their actions.

A settlement was first reached in 2021, but it did not consider information later uncovered in the Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme.

That included the revelation that government officials tried to mislead investigations into the scandal.

Further compensation was then requested in the successful appeal by law firm Gordon Legal, which led the class action.

The class action was launched by Sydney woman Katherine Prygodicz, who had twice been chased for a debt of more than $14,000.

About 450,000 people are estimated to have been affected by the scandal.

The poor old taxpayers are up for $475 million (not budgeted) because of a scheme that was originally devised by Labor and turned into an "art form" by the Libs eh?

Bastards all of the political parties.  >:(

Quote:

They lost their sons, Rhys Cauzzo and Jarrad Madgwick, to suicide after they were issued with robodebt notices.

Those who ordered the Robodebt should be in jail.

Bobby. wrote on Jun 24^th, 2026 at 11:06am:

Quote: They lost their sons, Rhys Cauzzo and Jarrad Madgwick, to suicide after they were issued with robodebt notices. Those who ordered the Robodebt should be in jail.

ScoMo ordered it but did he ask for or receive any advice that it was illegal?
If so did he go ahead anyway?

Did any public servants who were in charge of Robodebt know that it was illegal
and went ahead with orders for it to continue?


https://www.thenewdaily.com.au/news/2026/06/24/robodebt-settlement-approved

Captain Nemo wrote on Jun 24^th, 2026 at 10:29am:

The poor old taxpayers are up for $475 million (not budgeted) because of a scheme that was originally devised by Labor and turned into an "art form" by the Libs eh? Bastards all of the political parties.  >:(

A bit short there.


Quote:

The bungled program has cost the government more than $2.4 billion following multiple class actions.

Bobby. wrote on Jun 24^th, 2026 at 5:13pm:

Bobby. wrote on Jun 24th, 2026 at 11:06am: Quote: They lost their sons, Rhys Cauzzo and Jarrad Madgwick, to suicide after they were issued with robodebt notices. Those who ordered the Robodebt should be in jail. ScoMo ordered it but did he ask for or receive any advice that it was illegal? If so did he go ahead anyway? Did any public servants who were in charge of Robodebt know that it was illegal and went ahead with orders for it to continue? https://www.thenewdaily.com.au/news/2026/06/24/robodebt-settlement-approved

I recall that there were concerns raised by some employed in the departments - not a good look for any 'career' there.. they have their ways of forcing boat rockers out.

The disconnect between those running these things and reality will not have improved - essentially those 'at the top' these days are either long term AA/EEO/DEI appointees or are direct appointees of the government of the day and thus are bound to carry out, under threat of cancellation of contract**, to abide by the commands of the government of the day.

I've long warned about this destruction of the 'balance of powers' allegedly created by an 'independent public service' - and now the results just keep rolling on and on... at huge cost.

Get rid of Old Mate appointees to fat 'contracts' running departments and restore the flawed but more reliable promotion on true merit... let's start with resolving the current imbalance of over 72% of public servants artificially appointed women who simply, in most cases, are not up to the job.

I've worked there - they think it's a tea party and that holding meetings is what the job is all about... work is optional.

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Grappler Racist Filth wrote on Jun 24^th, 2026 at 6:31pm:

I recall that there were concerns raised by some employed in the departments - not a good look for any 'career' there.. they have their ways of forcing boat rockers out. The disconnect between those running these things and reality will not have improved - essentially those 'at the top' these days are either long term AA/EEO/DEI appointees or are direct appointees of the government of the day and thus are bound to carry out, under threat of cancellation of contract**, to abide by the commands of the government of the day. I've long warned about this destruction of the 'balance of powers' allegedly created by an 'independent public service' - and now the results just keep rolling on and on... at huge cost. Get rid of Old Mate appointees to fat 'contracts' running departments and restore the flawed but more reliable promotion on true merit... let's start with resolving the current imbalance of over 72% of public servants artificially appointed women who simply, in most cases, are not up to the job. I've worked there - they think it's a tea party and that holding meetings is what the job is all about... work is optional.

Criminals should be on trial.

"I followed orders" -  is not a defence.