Balancing efficiency and equity: Insights from Australia's Robodebt and China's Robodebt-plus-RoboCredit models in automated welfare systems

Balancing efficiency and equity: Insights from Australia's Robodebt and China's Robodebt-plus-RoboCredit models in automated welfare systems This in-person presentation examines the integration of Automated Decision-Making (ADM) systems in welfare administration, drawing insights from Australia and China. Australia's Robodebt scheme, aimed at recovering overpaid welfare benefits, revealed critical insights into the importance of transparency, accountability, and the need for robust safeguards in ADM systems. Similarly, China's approach, particularly Guangdong's Robodebt-plus-RoboCredit model, offers lessons on balancing fiscal responsibility and inclusivity by integrating automated alerts with human oversight to ensure fairness and adaptability.

Both cases emphasize the necessity of well-designed ADM frameworks that address legal, ethical, and operational challenges. This study highlights how lessons from Australia and China can guide policymakers in developing welfare systems that leverage automation to enhance efficiency while safeguarding equity and public trust. By synthesizing these experiences, this presentation aims to contribute, in a modest way, to the responsible and effective integration of technology in global welfare administration.

Speaker:
Dr. George Yijun Tian, Visiting Fellow at the Centre for Asian and Pacific Law at Sydney Law School and a Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Law, University of Technology Sydney

Moderator:
Dr. Jie (Jeanne) Huang, Co-chair of ASIL PIL Interest Group and Associate Professor and Associate Dean (postgraduate coursework), Sydney Law School