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Robodebt happened by income averaging many years ago and is not common practice anymore to my understanding. If they do use income averaging at all, there is always the option to request manual review of income if he thinks there is any issues regarding the validity of the debt. If this was the case all he has to do is call Centrelink and ask for a review… the debt letter should even give the direction at the bottom to tell you how to contact Centrelink if you think the debt is wrong. He perhaps might not be telling you the whole truth, however he may also not know he can suggest a review… maybe suggest that option to him first and see what he comes back with. Sorry you’re going through stressful times like this!
Tbh, it sounds like he's lying and he didn't update income when you went back to work and has been caught out which is why they want it paid back.
So he was receiving the FTB? Did he choose to receive it in a lump sum or fortnightly? It’s not a loan and they wouldn’t have explained it in those words, maybe that’s how he understood it. When receiving FTB you have to provide Centrelink with a FTB income estimate so the fortnightly payment or lump sum you receive is based off of what estimate he would’ve reported to Centrelink for the financial year. When you do your tax, that info is automatically sent through to Centrelink which either puts you in arrears or in debt. He’s either under estimated or has failed to advise them of an increase of income.
Can I just ask, is there a reason that the payments went through his account instead of yours? Are you not eligible for centrelink but he is? Did he take the paid parental leave and FTB while you went back to work? There are centrelink loans but centrelink itself does not work as a loan. It is a welfare payment system designed to help people in a low income situation - technically all tax payers pay it back so that we all have access to these services when/if we need, much like Medicare, road works, transport etc. but you don’t personally pay back the amounts they pay you UNLESS you’ve been overpaid. He could have been overpaid by not reporting income correctly, applying for a payment but still working normal hours, etc. I do just want to mention, if he is in control of all the money without any transparency this can be part of DV and there is support out there if you need. 💕
While I was on unpaid maternity leave & my partner was working. I was getting parenting payment partnered, getting rent assistance and FTB. We reported his income every fortnight. We also over estimated our income though so we wouldn’t have a debt. When I returned to work I reported my income. Come tax time Centrelink owed us money & I ended up with a 9k payout due to how much we had overestimated our income in relation to our FTB & the way we had set up the payments. Sounds like your partner has messed something up - hence why he now has a debt. :)
It would depend on what payments he received under what circumstances. If he was receiving payments based on an income assessment he provided and didn't adjust it when you went back to work and when he got a pay rise, he would be responsible for paying back anything he shouldn't have been getting, which I believe is usually assessed when you do your tax return. If he got a loan from Centrelink, then it is exactly that, a loan that requires paying back. We no longer have Robodebt. Any payments he received there should be a history of on his MyGov/Centrelink account.