Michael Klapdor
LightNews LightNews
banner
mklapdor.bsky.social
Michael Klapdor
@mklapdor.bsky.social
800 followers 650 following 620 posts

Social policy researcher at 🇦🇺 Parliamentary Library, Canberra
Mostly welfare, social security, family payments, child care, veterans
Personal account | Impersonal observations

Videos

The Parliamentary Library of Australia is a significant research and information service that supports the Parliament of Australia. Established in 1901, the library is an integral part of the Department of Parliamentary Services and provides independent, impartial and comprehensive information to members of Parliament, namely members of the Senate and House of Representatives, their staff and the broader parliamentary community. .. more

Political science 53%
Education 13%
Posts Replies Media Videos
Pinned
mklapdor.bsky.social
Michael Klapdor @mklapdor.bsky.social · Oct 31
Parl Library has updated the Digest for the Social Security Technical Changes No. 2 Bill to include analysis of the new measure allowing Home Affairs Minister to stop payments to persons subject to an outstanding warrant for a serious violent or sexual offence: parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/dow...
Screenshot of text on p. 18 of Bills Digest: 'Cancelling payments for fugitives Government amendments to the Bill, proposed and made in the House of Representatives on 29 October 2025, added new Schedule 5 to the Bill. The Schedule will enable the Minister responsible for the Australian Federal Police (AFP)—currently the Minister for Home Affairs—to issue a notice to the Minister for Social Services which requires the cessation of certain social security, family assistance, and parental leave payments as well as concession cards where a person is subject to an outstanding arrest warrant for a serious violent or sexual offence. The measure was not previously announced.

mklapdor.bsky.social
Michael Klapdor @mklapdor.bsky.social · 14h
Many pre-Dec 2020 debts were calculated using an unlawful method. The gov passed a law to say the debts were ok and lawful. This scheme will make payments to people who might have been affected in recognition of the fact their debts might have been incorrectly calculated.

mklapdor.bsky.social
Michael Klapdor @mklapdor.bsky.social · 17h
In 2024-25, Disability Employment Services suspended the payments of 69,208 participants with a partial capacity to work (166,306 total suspensions).
Suspensions applied to those with psychiatric conditions, neurological conditions, autism and brain injuries. www.aph.gov.au/api/qon/down...
Screenshot of linked Answer to a Question on Notice - 2 tables showing the disability records of DES participants with a payment suspension in 2024-25.

mklapdor.bsky.social
Michael Klapdor @mklapdor.bsky.social · 18h
Services Australia sampled historical debts and found a majority of those related to employment income were affected by income apportionment.
There are potentially millions of affected debts from this period - gov estimated around 900,000 people will apply apply for the scheme.
mklapdor.bsky.social Michael Klapdor @mklapdor.bsky.social · 18h
ICYMI Income Apportionment Resolution Scheme is open for applications. Scheme pays the debt amount (<$200) or up to $600 (>$5,000) per debt.
Eligible debts were raised Sep 2003 to Dec 2020 + likely to be affected by the previously unlawful method:
www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/income-appor...
Screenshot of Services Australia website: "Who is eligible for the Resolution Scheme You may be eligible for the Resolution Scheme if all the following apply: - you received an employment income debt for a debt period between 20 September 2003 and 6 December 2020 - your debt was likely to be affected by income apportionment and raised before 5 December 2025 - you haven’t been prosecuted and found guilty of fraud in relation to your debt - your debt has not been previously waived in full or zeroed before 30 January 2026. You can apply for the Resolution Scheme if your employment income debt was affected by income apportionment between 20 September 2003 and 6 December 2020."

mklapdor.bsky.social
Michael Klapdor @mklapdor.bsky.social · 18h
More information on income apportionment and the resolution scheme provided in the Bills Digest for the Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Technical Changes No. 2) Bill 2025: www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentar...
Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Technical Changes No. 2) Bill 2025
Key points The Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Technical Changes No. 2) Bill 2025 (the Bill) will: retrospectively validate social security payment rate calculations...
www.aph.gov.au

Reposted by Patrick Dunleavy

mklapdor.bsky.social
Michael Klapdor @mklapdor.bsky.social · 18h
ICYMI Income Apportionment Resolution Scheme is open for applications. Scheme pays the debt amount (<$200) or up to $600 (>$5,000) per debt.
Eligible debts were raised Sep 2003 to Dec 2020 + likely to be affected by the previously unlawful method:
www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/income-appor...
Screenshot of Services Australia website: "Who is eligible for the Resolution Scheme You may be eligible for the Resolution Scheme if all the following apply: - you received an employment income debt for a debt period between 20 September 2003 and 6 December 2020 - your debt was likely to be affected by income apportionment and raised before 5 December 2025 - you haven’t been prosecuted and found guilty of fraud in relation to your debt - your debt has not been previously waived in full or zeroed before 30 January 2026. You can apply for the Resolution Scheme if your employment income debt was affected by income apportionment between 20 September 2003 and 6 December 2020."

mklapdor.bsky.social
Michael Klapdor @mklapdor.bsky.social · 22h
Consultations on the future of income management finished in December 2024. No announcements in the year since. www.dss.gov.au/income-manag...
www.dss.gov.au

mklapdor.bsky.social
Michael Klapdor @mklapdor.bsky.social · 22h
As at January 2026, there were 32,848 people on income management (IM):
- 8,907 under original IM (BasicsCard)
- 23,941 under Enhanced IM (SmartCard)
- 8% (2,631) were voluntary participants, 92% compulsory
- 81% of people subject to IM identify as Indigenous
data.gov.au/data/dataset...
Australian Government Income Management Program - Data.gov.au
Updated data for the Australian Government’s Income Management (IM) program will be available on the third Thursday of every month. The data summary will include: Table 1. Number of IM participants...
data.gov.au

Reposted by Parliamentary Library

houseofcommons.parliament.uk
House of Commons @houseofcommons.parliament.uk · 1d
The House of Commons sits from 11.30am today.

The #OrderPaper is published each sitting day and lists the business of the House.
House of Commons Order Paper Tuesday 3 February 2026, link in post for full Order Paper.

Reposted by Parliamentary Library

abcnewsbot.bsky.social
ABC News Bot (unofficial) @abcnewsbot.bsky.social · 1d
The federal government has revealed how its NDIS alternative for some children under eight will work.
Thriving Kids model released after months of uncertainty
The federal government has revealed how its NDIS alternative for some children under eight will work.
www.abc.net.au

Reposted by Parliamentary Library

jeremypoxon.bsky.social
Jeremy Poxon @jeremypoxon.bsky.social · 8d
This latest ombo report, called "Following the law is not optional," can be found here: www.ombudsman.gov.au/__data/asset...
Commonwealth Ombudsman report "Following the law is not optional An investigation into the actions of Services Australia and the Department of Social Services to address an ongoing issue of non-compliance with the law"

Reposted by Parliamentary Library

robertarnol.bsky.social
Rob Arnol @robertarnol.bsky.social · 9d
In other Tasmanian news ….

mklapdor.bsky.social
Michael Klapdor @mklapdor.bsky.social · 10d
Thank you @pixelatedboat.bsky.social for this fb memory
Photo of old white guy with a big moustache. Text over image says: ‘Mal "Chubber" Chub Ate a bloody big load of sausages. Legend.” Screenshotted tweet reads: ‘Pixelated Boat @pixelatedboat Congratulations to the Australian of the Year!’

mklapdor.bsky.social
Michael Klapdor @mklapdor.bsky.social · 12d
JobSeeker numbers have been slowly climbing in line with the slow rise in unemployment

mklapdor.bsky.social
Michael Klapdor @mklapdor.bsky.social · 12d
Thanks! The Parenting Payment Single changes just explain that dip in September 2023. Would have hit the million mark a while ago if it wasn't for those changes

mklapdor.bsky.social
Michael Klapdor @mklapdor.bsky.social · 12d
Not in terms of the total number of recipients but today's numbers are relatively low as a % of the population. In the early-mid 1990s the number of people receiving unemployment benefits got up close to 900k - above 7% of the population aged 15-64. www.aph.gov.au/About_Parlia...

mklapdor.bsky.social
Michael Klapdor @mklapdor.bsky.social · 12d
I have a historical timeseries of income support as a % of 15-64 but need to update with 2025 figures (need to request 2025 data from DSS to account for changes in their data reporting). Used for the charts in this brief: www.aph.gov.au/About_Parlia...
Working-age income support recipients
Issue The proportion of Australia&rsquo;s population aged 15&ndash;64 receiving income support payments reached record lows in 2023 and 2024. This was driven by a strong labour market and pre-COVID-19...
www.aph.gov.au

mklapdor.bsky.social
Michael Klapdor @mklapdor.bsky.social · 12d
In December 2025, there were 1,009,370 recipients of JobSeeker Payment and Youth Allowance (Other). First time since April 2022 there were more than 1 million recipients of these payments (note the Sep 2023 Parenting Payment eligibility changes have affected the totals). data.gov.au/data/dataset...
Line chart showing the total number of JobSeeker and Youth Allowance (Other) recipients from March 2019 to December 2025

mklapdor.bsky.social
Michael Klapdor @mklapdor.bsky.social · 17d
the name/acronym? I've never seen it used before - assuming it's just a typo. Official name is Australian Government DRP

mklapdor.bsky.social
Michael Klapdor @mklapdor.bsky.social · 17d
Lump sum Aus Gov Disaster Recovery Payment extended to additional areas in Victoria affected by the bushfires - provides $1,000 for adults and $400 per child. Will be able to claim from Monday afternoon. Not sure about the renaming in this media release
www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/vic-bushfire...
From 2:00pm local time on Monday, 19 January 2026, the Albanese Government’s Disaster Recovery Payment (AGDRP) will be available for eligible people in the following added locations: Arapiles, Avenel, Cathkin, Devils River, Dropmore, Duchembegarra, Gooram, Limestone, Merton, Molesworth, Murrindindi, Noradjuha, Quantong, Tarcombe, Vectis, Walmer, and Whanregarwen.

mklapdor.bsky.social
Michael Klapdor @mklapdor.bsky.social · 17d
This is just awful. Heart goes out to the family. In my neighbourhood down at Mawson shops
www.abc.net.au/news/2026-01...
Four-year-old boy dies after car crashes into Canberra shopping centre
The accident happened at Mawson shopping centre in Canberra's south.
www.abc.net.au

mklapdor.bsky.social
Michael Klapdor @mklapdor.bsky.social · 18d
Nix somehow have more fans than any Aussie teams away in Canberra. Any excuse to get out of Wellington #CANvWEL

mklapdor.bsky.social
Michael Klapdor @mklapdor.bsky.social · 18d
Hardly a foul if you win the ball and the player charges into you. Are you supposed to just let them pass? #CANvWEL

Reposted by Parliamentary Library

artistaffame.bsky.social
Melissa @artistaffame.bsky.social · 19d
Australia has had a rise of 237,000 children living in poverty. Which brings the total up to 950,100 which means this year we are at risk of it surpassing 1 million bcec.edu.au/media/anothe...
Another 237,000 Australian children in poverty in four years - BCEC
Almost a quarter of a million children have been plunged into poverty in just four years - a 33 per cent increase.
bcec.edu.au

Reposted by Parliamentary Library

asherwolf.bsky.social
Asher Wolf @asherwolf.bsky.social · 19d
Cumberland river yesterday

mklapdor.bsky.social
Michael Klapdor @mklapdor.bsky.social · 19d
Parliamentary Library has published preliminary analysis of the Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism Bill: www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentar...
Exposure Draft Legislation: Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism Bill 2026
Key points On 12 January 2026, the Prime Minister announced that the Parliament would be recalled to consider the Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism Bill 2026. While the Bill has yet to ...
www.aph.gov.au

mklapdor.bsky.social
Michael Klapdor @mklapdor.bsky.social · 20d
Lump sum Aus Gov Disaster Recovery Payment extended to additional areas in Victoria affected by the bushfires - provides $1,000 for adults and $400 per child. Will be able to claim from Friday afternoon. www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/vic-bushfire...
"From 2pm local time on Friday, 16 January 2026, the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment (AGDRP) will be available for eligible people in the following added locations: Alexandra, Carranballac, Caveat, Creightons Creek, Ghin Ghin, Gobur, Highlands, Kanumbra, Skipton, Streatham, Terip Terip, Upton Hill, Whiteheads Creek, and Yarck. AGDRP helps those who have suffered the most serious impacts, including major damage to their home, serious injury, or loss of a loved one as a result of the bushfires. It’s a one-off payment of $1,000 per eligible adult and $400 per child. "

Reposted by Parliamentary Library

abcnewsbot.bsky.social
ABC News Bot (unofficial) @abcnewsbot.bsky.social · 21d
Police are urging Canberrans not to touch suspicious objects after pipe bombs were discovered in Belconnen.
'Dangerous' pipe bombs found on Canberra footpaths
Police are urging Canberrans not to touch suspicious objects after pipe bombs were discovered in Belconnen.
www.abc.net.au

mklapdor.bsky.social
Michael Klapdor @mklapdor.bsky.social · 21d
we'd try and get something out ahead of the debate in the House of Reps but Library only sees a Bill when it gets tabled/publicly released so our researchers are in the same boat as everyone else.

mklapdor.bsky.social
Michael Klapdor @mklapdor.bsky.social · 21d
This Disaster Recovery Payment lump sum is still the same rate as when it was introduced 20 years ago. If it had been indexed to CPI if would be more than $600 higher for an adult. www.aph.gov.au/About_Parlia...