Australia's biggest class action settlement approved
Australia's biggest class action settlement has been approved, providing $475 million in compensation to 125,000 victims of the robodebt scheme.Summary
Australia's largest class action settlement in history has been approved by the Federal Court, delivering $475 million in compensation to approximately 125,000 victims of the government's robodebt scheme. The system, which operated between 2015 and 2019, was intended to address benefit overpayments but resulted in the wrongful accusation of hundreds of thousands of people, including some of the nation's most vulnerable citizens who faced extreme debt, food insecurity, and suicide. The settlement, valued at $548.5 million including legal costs, was reached after a successful appeal by law firm Gordon Legal and follows a Royal Commission that revealed government officials attempted to mislead investigations. The approval was praised by Justice Jonathan Beach, who acknowledged the fortitude of victims like Jenny Miller and Kath Madgwick, who lost their sons to suicide, while chastising officials for their detachment from the consequences of their actions.
(Source：PerthNow)