<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Hundreds of thousands of </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/finance/robodebt-royal-commission-sealed-section-jennifer-miller/dcaf0f67-7f31-4e48-9a76-5ce547e88adb" rel="" target="" title="Robodebt victims"><span>Robodebt victims</span></a><span> could miss out on thousands in compensation if they fail to register for a fresh class action settlement before a looming deadline.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/government-reaches-robodebt-class-action-settlement/adcd2cd5-2eb2-4e1f-a17b-32c612a0c2c2" rel="" target="_blank" title="The federal government agreed to pay $475 million in compensation"><span>The federal government agreed to pay $475 million in compensation</span></a><span> to victims of the Coalition's "illegal and immoral" Robodebt scandal – the largest class action settlement in Australian history.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Gordon Legal – which launched the class action lawsuit – said that while 100,000 impacted Australians have signed up for the compensation, hundreds of thousands more could miss out.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>NSW man Justin is among the 443,000 Australians who were delivered a crushing </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/robodebt" rel="" target="_blank" title="Robodebt"><span>Robodebt</span></a><span> notice.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/naomi-and-dan-not-so-grey-nomads-sold-house-in-sydney-to-live-on-road-with-three-kids/fa2ec527-99b7-4e6b-a161-d22627066385" rel="" target="_blank" title="Sydney couple sold house, quit jobs after feeling 'trapped' in rat race"><strong><span>Sydney couple sold house, quit jobs after feeling 'trapped' in rat race</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><strong><span>Do you have a story? Contact</span></strong></em><span> </span><strong><em><span>reporter April Glover at</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="mailto:april.glover@nine.com.au" target="" title="april.glover@nine.com.au"><em><strong><span>april.glover@nine.com.au</span></strong></em></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The surprise $5500 debt in 2016 "knocked the wind out of [his] sails".</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/robodebt-class-action-deadline-looms-march/de7c07ce-a00f-4299-b62d-359a0aee651d" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Justin told </span><a href="https://www.nine.com.au/" rel="" target="_blank" title="nine.com.au"><span>nine.com.au</span></a><span> he was forced to live on food scraps and move out of his sharehouse to pay it back before the tight deadline.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I just went into panic mode," Justin said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I thought, 'Where am I going to get this money?' Life as it was... I was living week to week."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Justin paid back his debt in full over several months of living on a shoestring budget.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>During that time, his financial situation became so dire that some nights he could only afford bread and some gravy for dinner.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Because I was scared. I was scared of that letter," he added.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/not-so-grey-nomads-south-australian-couple-allan-mercer-jess-smith-ditched-mortgage-and-rentals-for-life-on-the-road/c46712f9-d91b-4600-80ae-621757bfed51" target="_blank" title="Jess and Allan chose a 116,000km trip over a mortgage and have no regrets"><strong><span>Jess and Allan chose a 116,000km trip over a mortgage and have no regrets</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The 2023 Royal Commission found that Centrelink unlawfully pursued $1.7 billion in welfare debts that people didn't owe using an automated scheme between 2015 and 2019.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Federal Court Justice Bernard Murphy said in his ruling Robodebt was a "shameful chapter" in Australia's history, as well as a "failure" in public administration.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It has been blamed for causing significant harm and multiple deaths, including suicides.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Justin said he was only offered a meagre $350 in compensation following the first $112 million class action lawsuit in 2022.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Gordon Legal appealed this settlement in 2024.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Justin described the initial payout as a "massive cop-out".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>And while there was some validation from knowing his debt was found to be illegal following a royal commission, the mental and financial toll is hard to erase.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I had the rug pulled out from underneath my feet. I thought, 'How could the government do this to me?''' Justin said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"They knew that this was wrong. And that's the part that really hurts."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>This time, he hopes the financial outcome will be better.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Because that first round was a slap in the face," Justin said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Justin was contacted by Gordon Legal regarding the initial class action settlement and has signed up for the second one.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/hecs-debt-reduction-what-do-after-paying-off-loan-how-to-stop-employer-deductions-explained/ad7cbd83-c97f-45b3-8ba6-fc37a159f10d" target="_blank" title="'Doesn't make any sense': Forgotten HECS detail delaying money in your pocket"><strong><span>'Doesn't make any sense': Forgotten HECS detail delaying money in your pocket</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>There are hundreds of thousands of people who risk missing the deadline.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It may be that they don't have the correct contact details for Gordon Legal to alert them to the second settlement.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Robodebt victims have until March 6 to register.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Gordon Legal partner Andrew Grech said victims deserve this impending compensation.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Payments can range from a thousand dollars to tens of thousands of dollars, so it's well worth people registering for compensation under the scheme," Grech told nine.com.au.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"4pm on the 6th of March is a hard deadline and if they haven't registered to participate they won't be able to participate.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It's critical that they do register if they wish to do so."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Federal Court will be asked to approve the settlement in mid-2026.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>Readers seeking support can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or beyond blue on 1300 22 4636.</span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><span> </span><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><strong><em><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank" title=""><strong><em><span>Apple</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google Play</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>ticking this box here</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Sign up to</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></em></strong></a></li></ul></div></div>