Integrity experts have called for the resignation of Australia’s first federal anti-corruption commissioner after a damning review into the decision not to pursue federal officials over robo-debt.
Robo-debt resulted in deaths and mental anguish among thousands of welfare recipients but one of the people who shaped the policy claims she is a victim too.
Renee Leon’s intervention means both she and her predecessor as head of the Human Services Department have rejected the public service watchdog’s findings.
Former top public servant Kathryn Campbell says she was set up to take the blame for the robo-debt crisis.
The Australian Public Service Commissioner has apologised for the robo-debt disgrace – but 10 of 12 public servants responsible remain unnamed.
Australians have been left with the troubling conclusion that the national anti-corruption body doesn’t believe in the importance of its role in a case like this.
Last week,the anti-corruption commission said it would not launch an inquiry into robo-debt. That decision is now the subject of an investigation by the NACC’s inspector.
Families are receiving letters saying that they owe debts to Centrelink because they were overpaid the childcare subsidy. Challenging the veracity of the debt is a nightmare.
The public service and Services Australia will be bolstered as the federal government vows to deliver “robo-justice” to welfare recipients affected by the Coalition’s unlawful debt recovery scheme.
History repeats itself as the Department of Industry once again makes a mess of its grant program for female entrepreneurs.
Centrelink’s “income apportionment” method is a disastrous throwback to another ill-starred scheme that heaped misery on welfare claimants.