PM accuses his predecessor over Robodebt failings

Rachael Ward and Kathryn Magann | July 9, 2023

Anthony Albanese has lashed his predecessor for what he calls a lack of contrition over the findings that came out of the royal commission into the Robodebt scheme.

Scott Morrison is among several senior coalition figures highlighted for their roles in the scheme but has rejected any suggestion of wrongdoing, saying the inquiry’s findings were “based upon a fundamental misunderstanding of how government operates”.

Speaking in Perth on Saturday, Mr Albanese said it wasn’t up to him to comment on the outcome of the commission’s findings but had some to say about the former prime minister’s reaction.

“I do note … that Scott Morrison has also shown no contrition whatsoever for the impact that his actions as minister have had,” Mr Albanese said, according to Nine.

“And I do note very serious findings of the royal commissioner about his evidence before the royal commission.”

Adding to the fallout, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton claimed on Saturday the Robodebt inquiry had been politicised from the very beginning but he also took the step of apologising to people impacted by the illegal debt collection scheme.

On Friday it was revealed federal police and the anti-corruption watchdog are considering civil and criminal evidence against certain unnamed individuals in relation to the scheme.

A report tabled in parliament found certain former coalition ministers had dismissed or ignored concerns about its legality.

That, however, has been rejected by the politicians in question but Mr Dutton went a step further, accusing Government Services Minister Bill Shorten of taking advantage of the issue.

“He’s a political animal and he’s used every opportunity to milk out whatever political advantage there is to the Labor Party out of this particular issue and the prime minister’s doing the same,” Mr Dutton told reporters.

“I just sound a word of caution about the prime minister’s politicisation of this process as well.”

The Liberal leader said the Morrison government stopped the scheme when problems were brought to its attention and said his party would consider the recommendations. 

“I’m sorry to those people that have been adversely affected, I truly am,” he said.

More than 100 ministers, advisers, public servants and contractors gave evidence to the royal commission.

A sealed chapter of the report recommended the referral of a number of people for what the commission described as “civil action or criminal prosecution” but it was kept secret so as not to prejudice any future court cases.

Commissioner Catherine Holmes has made submission to the heads of federal agencies, the Australian Public Service Commissioner, the National Anti-Corruption Commissioner, the president of the Law Society of the ACT and the Australian Federal Police.

Commissioner Holmes did not recommend compensation for those impacted by the scheme, or an apology from bureaucrats.

Her report outlined a litany of human impacts, including families struggling to make ends meet and young people driven to despair and suicide.

The former government launched its crackdown on “suspected welfare fraud and non-compliance” in mid-2015 in an effort to save billions of dollars.

It issued debt notices to people identified through a process called income averaging, which compared reported incomes with tax office data.

But it ended up delivering $406 million in savings and costing $971 million.

The scheme was ruled unlawful by the Federal Court in 2019, after issues were raised by Victoria Legal Aid.

“The commissioner’s final report represents a moment of justice and vindication for everyone who was harmed by this scheme,” managing lawyer Miles Browne said.

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