The Department of Human Services (DHS) has defended the release of a welfare recipient’s personal and protected information to a journalist, insisting it was proportionate and legal. The release has been criticised by the Federal Opposition and lawyers who believe it may have a chilling impact on welfare recipients who would otherwise criticise the Government. Blogger Andie Fox wrote an opinion piece early in February claiming Centrelink had “terrorised” her over a debt she claimed she did not owe. A few weeks later, her personal details were supplied to a journalist who wrote a comment piece from the Government’s perspective, raising the prospect that Centrelink had been “unfairly castigated”. Public servants have told a Senate Estimates hearing in Canberra the “protected” information was collated by DHS officials and approved for release by Human Services Minister Alan Tudge’s office.
