New powers to strengthen robodebt investigations   
New Daily
Aug 13, 2024


Robodebt falsely accused many welfare recipients of owing the government money.


Senior officials involved in an illegal debt recovery program could soon be investigated, as the federal government introduces legislation to hold them accountable.   

Between 2015 and 2019, the government’s robodebt scheme automatically used annual tax office data to calculate average earnings and issue debt notices.


The program recovered more than $750 million from almost 400,000 people, with many welfare recipients falsely accused of owing the government money.

New legislation would give the Australian Public Service Commissioner powers to investigate former agency heads for alleged breaches of the public service code of conduct and make determinations.

Public Service Minister Katy Gallagher says the bill will provide accountability for abuses.

“This legislation will ensure that senior public servants are clearly accountable for their actions as public service leaders, even after leaving their roles,” she said.


“The robodebt scheme was a shameful chapter of public administration.”

“Where appropriate, those involved from the public service must be held to account. We want to make sure a scheme like this can never happen again.”

Though the Australian Public Service Commissioner was close to finalising investigations into former agency heads over robodebt, some argued these alleged code of conduct breaches could not be investigated due to legal provisions in the Public Service Act.

The government’s bill would allow these officials to be held accountable for code of conduct breaches as agency heads – the same way current and former public servants are.


In June, the National Anti-Corruption Commission announced it would not launch an investigation into the public officials connected to the robodebt scheme.

It claimed the pubic servants had already been explored through the robodebt royal commission and further investigations were not necessary.

In response, nearly 900 individual complaints were made to the Inspector of the National Anti-Corruption Commission with many alleging corrupt conduct or maladministration.

The government has agreed, or agreed in-principle, to the 56 recommendations of the royal commission.

Awesome news

aquascoot wrote on Aug 15^th, 2024 at 4:18pm:


Perhaps in addition to the Order of Australia they should also get a special medal for this?

Robodebt: Illegal Australian welfare hunt drove people to despair

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And especially this:

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But, seeing as you seem quite happy to watch the elderly 'dropping like flies' from Covid in Australian Aged Care at the moment I'm not surprised in the least that you would post something like this.

Disgraceful stuff.

He HAD to find a use for all that horseshit!