Longford and Secretary, Department of Social Services (Social services second review)

This matter concerned Ms Longford's appeal to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) regarding a Youth Allowance debt raised against her by the Department of Social Services. The dispute centred on whether Ms Longford had been overpaid Youth Allowance between 31 January 2013 and 18 June 2014, and if so, whether the resulting debt should be written off or waived. The initial debt was calculated using Australian Taxation Office income averaging data, which indicated Ms Longford had earned more than she reported. This was later varied following Ms Longford's review request and the provision of more specific employer earnings information.

The Tribunal was required to determine the precise amount of any Youth Allowance overpayment during the specified period and to consider the appropriateness of writing off or waiving the debt. This involved assessing the accuracy of the income information used for the debt calculation and evaluating whether any special circumstances existed that would warrant relief from repayment. The Tribunal also had to consider the impact of administrative error, if any, in the original debt assessment.

The Tribunal's reasoning focused on recalculating the debt based on actual earnings information provided by Ms Longford, including bank statements and employer pay records. It applied the principles of income reporting obligations under the *Social Security (Administration) Act 1999* and considered whether Ms Longford had met these obligations. The Tribunal found that despite some initial reliance on ATO averaging data and subsequent adjustments, a debt of $17,291.95 had accrued. The Tribunal concluded that the debt could not be waived and that it was not appropriate to write off any portion of it, affirming the decision under review.