Government ignored warnings more than 100 companies may be misusing Centrepay scheme, Asic says

Services Australia’s failure to act ‘inexcusable’ and urgent action needed to help people struggling to get by, senators say

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The corporate regulator repeatedly warned Services Australia that it should review and consider removing more than 100 companies from a government-run debit scheme that allows early access to welfare payments.

But it said its attempts to sound the alarm about potential misuse of the scheme have had no impact.

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