Tom Studans
LightNews LightNews
banner
maximumwelfare.bsky.social
Tom Studans
@maximumwelfare.bsky.social
2.5K followers 400 following 1.9K posts
Welfare advocate. Covered the Robodebt Royal Commission. None for me thanks
Posts Replies Media Videos
maximumwelfare.bsky.social
UK Telegraph piece titled 'I cannot take this stupid England team seriously anymore', penned originally by Geoffrey Boycott. Mr Boycott's author picture is replaced with Travis Head's (wearing sunglasses following World Cup victory in India)
November 23, 2025 at 12:28 AM
maximumwelfare.bsky.social
There'll now be a debate on Schedule 5. I'll start then:

The Albanese Government's last-minute grab for police powers to cancel welfare benefits without a conviction is now opposed by more than 35 civil society organisations, including NATSILS and the Law Council of Australia. Touch one, touch all.
DRAFT LEGISLATION PROGRAM FOR THE SENATE 2025 SPRING SITTINGS OF PARLIAMENT: WEEK 8 (24 – 27 NOVEMBER) PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS AN INDICATIVE PROGRAM AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE Monday, 24 November 10.00am: Documents presented / Authorisations for Committees to meet Government Business: • Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Technical Changes No. 2) Bill 2025 • Home Affairs Legislation Amendment (2025 Measures No. 2) Bill 2025 • Administrative Review Tribunal and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2025 • Customs Tariff Amendment (Geelong Treaty Implementation) Bill 2025 1.30pm: 2 Minute Statements / Questions / Motions to take note of answers / Petitions / Notices of motion / Placing of business / Discovery of formal business / MPI or urgency motion / Consideration of documents tabled / Ministerial statements / Committee memberships / Messages from the House of Representatives Order of Business (continued) 8.00pm: Adjournment (30 minutes) Groups supporting the call for the government to abandon the amendment: Anglicare Australia Antipoverty Centre Anti-Poverty Network SA Australian Autism Alliance Australian Council of Social Services Australian Federation of Disability Organisations Australian Unemployed Workers’ Union Basic Income Australia Children and Young People with Disability Community Mental Health Australia Community Restorative Centre Consumers of Mental Health WA Council of Single Mothers and their Children Disability Advocacy Network Australia Down Syndrome Australia Economic Justice Australia Everybody’s Home First Peoples Disability Network Inclusion Australia Justice and Equity Centre Justice Reform Initiative Law Council of Australia Mental Health Lived Experience Peak Qld National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services (NATSILS) National Ethnic Disability Alliance National Mental Health Consumer Alliance NSW Council for Civil Liberties People with Disability Australia Physical Disability Australia Queensland Advocacy for Inclusion Single Mother Families Australia Wirringa Baiya Aboriginal Women’s Legal Centre Women with Disabilities Australia To add your organisation to this list contact media at antipovertycentre.org
November 20, 2025 at 7:13 AM
maximumwelfare.bsky.social
This is what they took from you...
November 14, 2025 at 4:20 AM
maximumwelfare.bsky.social
Lower intestine proposes shitting
KEY POSTS 2.48pm Hastie: Liberals should force double dissolution over net zero target 2.25pm Cahs proposes dumping net zero to replicate Voice referendum success
November 12, 2025 at 4:23 AM
maximumwelfare.bsky.social
Omg yay!
Jacinta Allan @JacintaAllanMP We're introducing Adult Time
November 12, 2025 at 2:03 AM
maximumwelfare.bsky.social
November 11, 2025 at 6:05 AM
maximumwelfare.bsky.social
Nick Dyrenfurth Researcher Nov 6, 2025 - 9.55am Politics, like history, can move glacially - until it doesn't. On that score, Vladimir Lenin was right about one thing: "There are decades where nothing happens, and weeks where decades happen." The quote has been the subject of numerous posts on social media sites including X, LinkedIn, Medium and Goodreads. On Reddit, it has made frequent appearances on quote-focused subreddits including r/quotes and r/QuotesPorn. It has also appeared in a range of print publications including Billy Idol's memoir "Dancing with Myself" and an editorial published in a 2013 issue of the Journal of Hepatology. However, there is no evidence that Lenin ever spoke or wrote these words. As the blog Quote Investigator pointed out in a 2020 article, the quote appears to have been first attributed to Lenin in 2001, 77 years after the Russian revolutionary's death, in a Guardian op-ed by British politician George Galloway. https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/lenin-decades-quote/
November 10, 2025 at 12:12 AM
maximumwelfare.bsky.social
The Commonwealth argued in this hearing that the High Court appeal should not proceed, as the retrospective measures in the bill resolve any legal questions.

They may have had a point, had the bill been passed. I'm not sure it would have been a good one. In any event, the appeal will now be heard 🙂
Enacted and foreshadowed legislation limits the public importance of the matter 23 In its application, Legal Aid contends that the “public importance” of the proceeding for the purposes of s 35A(a)(i) of the Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth) lies in the significance of the interpretative question to a large cohort of social security debts calculated under affected provisions of the SSA: SLA[18]. 24 Two legislative developments mean that there is no such issue of public importance. 25 First, the Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (Simplifying Income Reporting and Other Measures) Act 2020 (Cth) (2020 Amendment Act) carved employment income out of point 1067G-H23 (and similar provisions relating to social security payments other than Youth Allowance) and made fresh, specific provision for the allocation of employment income to instalment periods. The 2020 Amendment Act commenced on 7 December 2020. The issue of statutory construction in this proceeding only affected the calculation of social security entitlements by reference to employment income prior to that date. It is for this reason that the cohort of persons identified by LegalAid as affected by this proceeding are those with historic social security debts that arose prior to 7 December 2020: SLA[18]. 26 Secondly, the 2025 Bill would render the issues of statutory construction raised in Ground 2 of the special leave application irrelevant to the resolution of questions about historic entitlements under the SSA. That is because the Bill would provide that those questions are to be resolved by reference to the methodology for the allocation of employment income set out in proposed s 1117D of the SSA (Sch 1 of the Bill), rather than the provisions in issue in this proceeding: see proposed s 1117D(14). The proposed appeal raises issues of public importance 16. The Secretary has not shown that the proposed appeal lacks public importance. The 2025 Bill is not an Act and has no bearing on whether special leave should be granted. The courts “can only act upon the law as it is” and do not “speculate upon alterations in the law that may be made in the future”. The Secretary invites the Court to engage in that kind of speculation: see RS2 [17]. In any event, the Secretary has not explained how it is said the Bill (if enacted in its current form) would “determine” the issues raised by the proposed appeal: RSI [3]; RS2 [4]. Disposition 17. Special leave should be granted. If special leave is refused, there should be no order for costs (which the Secretary has not sought). Dated 18 September 2025 Kateena O’Gorman Laura Hilly Tim Farhall Glyn Ayres James Hogan Victoria Legal Aid Solicitors for the Applicant
November 7, 2025 at 3:30 AM
maximumwelfare.bsky.social
The Albanese Government had everything they needed to get this bill passed last week and that was the outcome we'd all prepared ourselves for.

Last Thursday, when I learned of the proposed police amendments—the entire pro bono law sector was attending their annual conference in Melbourne.
National Access to Justice and Pro Bono Conference MELBOURNE 2025 Wednesday 29 October - Friday 31 October 2025 Grand Hyatt Melbourne
November 7, 2025 at 3:30 AM
maximumwelfare.bsky.social
The bill establishes a redress scheme for those identified to have received unlawful debts.

The government were also seeking to retrospectively validate apportionment debts—why would they do that if they'd agreed to repay them?

To cover off Chaplin's expected High Court appeal.
Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Technical Changes No. 2) Bill 2025 Type: Government Portfolio: Social Services Originating house: House of Representatives Status: Before Senate Parliament no: 48 Summary Amends the: Social Security Act 1991 to: validate the use of apportioning employment income when calculating the rate of a mean-tested social security payment for entitlement periods between 1 July 1991 and 6 December 2020; and A New Tax System (Family Assistance) (Administration) Act 1999, Paid Parental Leave Act 2010, Social Security Act 1991 and Student Assistance Act 1973 to expand the special circumstances waiver regimes; provide for a standardised and indexed small debt waiver threshold of $250; and provide for a one-off waiver of the Commonwealth’s right to recover small undetermined debts. Also establishes a resolution scheme to provide a resolution payment to persons whose debts have been affected by income apportionment.
November 7, 2025 at 3:30 AM
maximumwelfare.bsky.social
This guy is real. Real guy.
The titles of works cited by Kieron O’Hara and Roger Brownsword were changed in the final report after the department said it was unable to locate papers with the original titles.
November 6, 2025 at 10:44 AM
maximumwelfare.bsky.social
Huge result for now. Rapid response starting last Thursday to establish a united front of community and civil society organisations. Gonna be much tougher for them to get this through from here 👍
Antipoverty Centre @antipovertycent It’s official. Labor has failed to sneak through its attempt to grant police powers to cancel welfare in this parliamentary sitting. They can now explain to the community why they believe such a drastic power grab should be waived through without scrutiny from the parliament. Quote Antipoverty Centre @antipovertycent · 35m Replying to @antipovertycent @Kerrynne_Liddle and 10 others In stunning news, the senate has adjourned early, without the income apportionment bill coming back for debate. The next parliamentary sitting is in two weeks. 4:55 PM · Nov 6, 2025
November 6, 2025 at 6:30 AM
maximumwelfare.bsky.social
Labor finally running to Sky News for one crumb of reactionary media support fully one week after the horse has bolted:
Blind destitute anthropomorphic fox with walking rattling a tin can for donations
November 6, 2025 at 4:02 AM
maximumwelfare.bsky.social
Egregious defamation of social services/disability/community legal sectors, advocates & crossbench on Sky News by Social Sevices Minister @tanyaplibersekmp.bsky.social, accusing us ALL of supporting rape, murder & child abuse.

Labor's amendments supported by:

- Police Federation of Aus
- Coalition
JAYES: Who's saying that? MINISTER PLIBERSEK: To support them while they're on the run from the law. Yes, absolutely, there are senators- JAYES: There are senators who want the taxpayer to pay for fugitives on the run? MINISTER PLIBERSEK: To subsidise, yes, yes. This is the madness- JAYES: Who are they? MINISTER PLIBERSEK: -and the debate that we're facing at the moment, and people- JAYES: Who are these people? MINISTER PLIBERSEK: Well, you know, people can gave a look at that. Well, Senator Thorpe is one example and we've got, I mean, it's certainly a debate worth watching. We've got people in the community who are saying that people who are on the run for crimes like rape and murder and child abuse should continue to receive those payments to maintain them while they're on the run. It's madness.
November 6, 2025 at 2:51 AM
maximumwelfare.bsky.social
🤪
Mr Weber said restricting payments to those accused of serious offences could help to flush them out. "It's very difficult to restrict people's behaviour if we can't find them or they're actually in hiding," he said. "This gives us another avenue for a rapid response if we can't actually speak to or find that offender."
November 4, 2025 at 8:00 AM
maximumwelfare.bsky.social
The ventriloquist's dummy:
A spokesperson for Social Services Minister Tanya Plibersek said it was "not appropriate" to provide support to someone charged with a serious offence. "It is a serious power, for the most serious of circumstances," the spokesperson said. "Advice from Services Australia about any impact on the dependents must also be considered."
October 31, 2025 at 9:17 AM
maximumwelfare.bsky.social
The welfare system is not for the Home Affairs Minister to fuck around in if they do not possess the courage to argue for these powers.

www.sbs.com.au/news/article...
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke would have the discretion to make the ultimate call on payment cancellations. The powers sit with the minister responsible for AFP and ASIO, departments that have been consolidated under Burke, previously sitting under the attorney-general. In a statement to SBS News, Burke said: "the Government shouldn't be paying people to hide from police".
October 31, 2025 at 9:17 AM
maximumwelfare.bsky.social
Social security and welfare is of course the single biggest area of spending by more than twice the amount of spending in any other area and therefore central to such discussions 👍
Where government spending is directed (2025-26) Social security and welfare $291b Other purposes $149.7b Health $124.8b All other functions $83.3b Education $54b Defence $51.5b General public services $31.4b (Source: Australian Government Budget 2025-26 Overview chart)
October 29, 2025 at 1:29 AM
maximumwelfare.bsky.social
I am pleased to note this similarly brainless grandstanding did not end up as the law of this country, and that the final position after consulting with experts was simply to waive those debts—as I said—instead of the government enraging known perpetrators of gendered violence for political reasons.
A re-elected Labor government will take steps to: · Prevent perpetrators from using the tax and corporate systems to create debts as a form of coercive control and make perpetrators accountable for these debts if they do. [Highlighted for emphasis] · Look at making perpetrators liable for social security debts incurred by a victim-survivor due to coercion or financial abuse.
October 28, 2025 at 11:57 PM
maximumwelfare.bsky.social
• Guardian article updated Saturday with this denial from Services Australia, which also appears in 7news' coverage.

• Doesn't tell us the average amount of these unowed debts isn't $5,000, or what it is.

• Still no proper statements from anybody. I am not impressed.

7news.com.au/news/thousan...
The spokesperson disputed that the average amount was $5,000, instead saying “50% of the potentially owed refunds are less than $50, 80% are less than $500 and 2% are for $5000 or more”. 24 Oct 2025 Thousands of Centrelink customers owed refunds after overpaying debts Customers are owed amounts ranging from under $50 to over $5000. By Lauren Thomson Tens of thousands of Australians may be entitled to refunds after unknowingly overpaying their Centrelink debts, with automatic payments like BPAY continuing even after balances were cleared. Services Australia has confirmed it is probing more than 40,000 cases where customers paid more than they owed, with refunds still outstanding. “Services Australia is investigating approximately 44,000 records where customers paid more money toward a Centrelink debt than they owed and a refund may still be owing,” a spokesperson told 7NEWS.com.au “Of these records, 50 per cent of the potentially owed refunds are less than $50, 80 per cent are less than $500 and 2 per cent are for $5000 or more. “In most cases when people overpay their Centrelink debt, we refund the money or transfer the balance to another debt, if they have one. “We process hundreds of thousands of refunds like this every year. The vast majority are processed correctly and in a timely manner. “In some instances, the correct process to issue the refund didn’t occur and a refund may still be owing to the customer.”
October 27, 2025 at 5:13 AM
maximumwelfare.bsky.social
October 27, 2025 at 12:15 AM
maximumwelfare.bsky.social
Now #Seated
Lenovo ThinkPad keyboard with the famous mouse
October 26, 2025 at 8:41 AM
maximumwelfare.bsky.social
Another excellent article today on the ongoing Targeted Compliance Framework crisis that has rendered 'mutual obligations' unenforceable in The Australian—by Kristen Amiet, who wrote of her Robodebt experience in July.

She is asking the right questions.

archive.is/202510250112...
Welfare suspensions roll on despite legal concerns about system Department of Employment and Workplace Relations secretary Natalie James paused cancellations and reductions of welfare benefits after the legality of the system was called into question, but suspensions have been inexplicably allowed to continue. Kristen Amiet October 24, 2025 - 9:00PM The legal status of the automated system used by the DEWR to ensure individuals receiving JobSeeker and other welfare benefits meet “mutual obligations” is still in doubt. The government has continued to suspend the welfare benefits of thousands of Australians despite concerns the system is not lawful. The Targeted Compliance Framework (TCF) is an automated system used by the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations to ensure individuals receiving JobSeeker and other welfare benefits meet “mutual obligations”, including attending appointments with employment service providers, applying for jobs and engaging with training. Individuals who fail to meet their mutual obligations accumulate demerit points, which may lead to a cancellation, suspension or reduction of their benefit. The system was introduced by the Coalition government in 2018. DEWR secretary Natalie James paused cancellations and reductions of benefits based on mutual obligations violations in March after the department received external legal advice the system might be unlawful, but suspensions have continued despite being underpinned by the same legislative framework. Deputy secretary of employment and workforce Tania Rishniw told a hearing of the Education and Employment Legislation Committee on October 9 more than 320,000 suspensions relating to just over 205,000 people receiving JobSeeker benefits were made between May and July this year. At the same hearing, Ms James conceded the TCF was not currently operating in accordance with the legislation. “It’s not currently operating in alignment with the legislative framework because I have taken decisions to pause a number of aspects of that because of concerns about how they were being operationalised before,” the secretary said in response to a question on notice by Greens senator Penny Allman-Payne. Neither Ms James nor Senator Jess Walsh, representing Employment and Workplace Relations Minister Amanda Rishworth, would say if they had confidence in the legality of the TCF when pressed by Ms Allman-Payne. The secretary said in an earlier statement she would “not take any decision to resume social security payment reductions or cancellations unless and until it can be clearly demonstrated that the process to support the decision making complies with the law”, but the department did not respond to questions from The Australian about why suspensions have continued while cancellations and reductions were paused.
October 25, 2025 at 3:32 AM
maximumwelfare.bsky.social
Worthless, chickenshit ANONYMOUS statement from the do-nothing Albanese Government who have done nothing to address these crises OR rebuild trust in the welfare system, have no plans for reform, & watch on uselessly as the collapsing welfare administration blows holes in legislation and the budget.
Guardian Australia sent questions to each department and it’s associated minister. In response, a government spokesperson said it was “committed to ensuring Australia’s social security system is functional, compassionate, and safe”. “We understand the importance of ensuring government systems operate effectively, particularly when interacting with vulnerable people,” they said. The spokesperson said the government had “inherited a system still reeling” from robodebt, which needed “rebuilding trust” with the population. “Our government is getting on with the job of rebuilding that trust, including by righting historical wrongs, providing compensation, and reforming systems that aren’t fit for purpose,” they said.
October 25, 2025 at 1:02 AM
maximumwelfare.bsky.social
• That is >$220m that would have to be repaid on these numbers, which to the extent they're accepted by Services Australia can't be considered a definitive account of those affected until we see some evidence.

• No full media releases have eventuated from anyone quoted here before the weekend 🤔
Revealed: some Australians have overpaid their Centrelink debt by more than $20,000 Exclusive: Services Australia spokesperson says automatic BPay payments and Centrelink being unable to contact customers may be to blame Overpayments to Centrelink, affecting 44,000 Australians, is ‘the latest of several breaches of the Social Security Act’, according to the acting CEO of Acoss, Edwina MacDonald. Approximately 44,000 Australians who have a debt with Centrelink have overpaid it, some by $20,000 or more, Guardian Australia can reveal. It is the latest in a string of scandals to hit Centrelink after hundreds of thousands of people had their payments illegally cancelled, with several reviews concluding the welfare system is not working legally and the government announcing plans to undertake at least three remediation processes for separate issues – the robodebt class action, income apportionment and overpaid debts. Economic Justice Australia, which has been briefed on the overpayment issue by Services Australia, said while some overpayments are in the tens of thousands, the average amount was about $5,000.
October 24, 2025 at 6:40 AM