Administrative burdens, behavioural insights and economic dignity: the case of Robodebt
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: This paper uses the concepts of administrative burden and economic dignity to understand the harms imposed on welfare recipients from the application of behavioural insights in the initial correspondence they received in the Robodebt scheme. A core principle of Robodebt was the shifting of the burden of compliance from state to citizen, with correspondence requiring citizens to ‘prove’ their income from years past or face a debt. This was coupled with significant challenges for recipients in being able to talk to the government directly about the notice they received. Based upon this, recipients have recounted feeling like criminals, and were actively described as such in the media and by Ministers. Moves towards ‘self-service’ or automated forms of compliance like in the case of Robodebt are typically justified in terms of cost savings and efficiency. However, without serious consideration of the potential negative impacts on citizens, they risk the production of significant harm.
Author: Jeremiah Thomas Brown
Institution: The University of Melbourne
Language: English
Subfield: Public Administration
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W4411296032