How might we Enhancing trust, oversight, and accessibility for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students?
Client
Services Australia
Role
Senior Service Designer
Services
Research & Insights
Service Design
Responsibility
Manage and executor of market research, mapping current state experiences to find opportunities for improvements.
Background
In April 2023, an ABC investigation revealed serious allegations of fraud, neglect, and abuse at a government-funded Indigenous student hostel in Queensland. Children under the ABSTUDY program, which provides financial support for Indigenous students, were mistreated and left without proper care, while funds meant for their welfare were mismanaged and misappropriated by the provider. This scandal exposed significant weaknesses in the program’s funding oversight and governance, prompting an urgent need for reform to prevent future exploitation and ensure the safety of students.
⚠ Content Warning: Disturbing Material
he following video contains testimony from Chris Long, filmed by a hostel worker, detailing serious allegations of mistreatment and misconduct within an ABSTUDY-funded facility. Some viewers may find the content disturbing or upsetting, as it discusses fraud, neglect, and the impact on Indigenous students. Viewer discretion is advised.
Situation
- Services Australia were unsure of the volume of providers who may be mismanaging funds, leading to poor living conditions and student mistreatment.
- Regulatory oversight was insufficient, allowing fraudulent operators to continue receiving funds despite serious misconduct.
- Students and families lacked accessible ways to report issues, leaving abuse and fraud unaddressed for extended periods
Task
- Conducted in-depth CX research to understand students’, families’, and hostel providers’ experiences with ABSTUDY.
- Developed a governance framework to integrate fraud detection signals and risk assessments into funding decisions.
- Designed a compliance monitoring system, using predictive analytics to flag high-risk providers.
- Led a design strategy, bringing together government agencies, legal experts, and Indigenous community representatives to co-design oversight reforms.
- Introduced reporting mechanisms, enabling faster response times to complaints and real-time accountability tracking.
Results
- Identify gaps in governance and fraud detection within the ABSTUDY program.
- Improve oversight mechanisms to ensure funds directly benefit Indigenous students.
- Enhance CX frameworks to make the program more transparent, accountable, and accessible.
Conclusion: Impact & Future Considerations
This initiative set a new precedent for compliance-driven CX transformation in government programs.
By balancing regulatory oversight with user experience principles, it provided a sustainable model for program governance and student protection.
The lessons learned from this project can be applied to broader service design improvements in government-funded social programs, ensuring vulnerable communities receive equitable and effective support.