Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Technical Changes No. 2) Bill 2026; Second Reading

Chaney argued that while automation can improve efficiency, the government had failed to act on two key recommendations from the Robodebt royal commission regarding a mandatory legal framework for automated decision-making. Chaney stated that the lack of legislative rules for automation posed risks to fairness and client usability. Chaney moved a second reading amendment calling on the government to legislate a mandatory framework incorporating transparency, human oversight, and independent oversight to prevent a repeat of past failures.

Briskey supported the bill, contrasting the current approach with the previous government's Robodebt scheme, which she described as based on the assumption that recipients were rorting the system. Briskey argued that Schedule 6 fixes a systemic issue by making automated tax refund offsets reviewable, protecting families in hardship. Briskey highlighted that Schedules 3 to 5 allow the use of pre-issue income data, ensuring accurate assessments and reducing debt collection efforts. Briskey noted that the bill supports trust in the system, which is essential for people to claim entitlements and take risks such as retraining or leaving unsafe relationships.

Witty supported the bill, emphasising that it ensures the social security system operates effectively and fairly for constituents. Witty noted that the changes provide legislative certainty for advance payments, which were granted 2.7 million times in 2024-25, allowing people to access funds without unnecessary delays. Witty argued that using pre-issued income data improves accuracy and efficiency for family tax benefit and child support assessments. Witty highlighted that the bill strengthens review rights, ensuring decisions can be reconsidered when new information becomes available, thereby restoring confidence in the system.

Roberts supported the bill, stating it reflects careful work to rebuild trust in the social security system. Roberts noted that the use of pre-issue income data allows for faster and more accurate payment assessments, reducing unexpected debts. Roberts highlighted that the bill modernises the framework for advance payments, ensuring accessibility for those facing unexpected costs. Roberts also mentioned that the government has waived more than 500 debts related to family and domestic violence since December 2025, and that the bill contributes to a fairer and more compassionate system.