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Articles for Robodebt

Hung parliament could see crossbench seek NACC reforms after backflip on robodebt decision
1 month, 1 week ago

Hung parliament could see crossbench seek NACC reforms after backflip on robodebt decision

ABC  

Federal crossbenchers including Helen Haines, Zali Steggall, Monique Ryan and the Greens say they will use the balance of power to reform the National Anti-Corruption Commission to hold more public hearings if there is a hung parliament. The backflip could reopen the door to potential corruption findings against the unnamed former public servants involved in the illegal government debt raising …

Commission Public Hearings Public Decision Brereton Greens Investigate
US and Russia hold Ukraine peace talks
1 month, 1 week ago

US and Russia hold Ukraine peace talks

ABC  

Sabra Lane: Good morning, welcome to AM, I'm Sabra Lane, coming to you from Nipaluna, Hobart. Sabra Lane: Many householders are breathing a little easier today, thanks to the Reserve Bank's decision to cut the official interest rate by a quarter of a percentage point. Kimberley Price : With 13 interest rate hikes since 2022, Alex's young family has had …

Labor Europe Russia Price State Gaza Matthew
National anti-corruption watchdog boss Paul Brereton's future in question after Robodebt decision
4 months, 4 weeks ago

National anti-corruption watchdog boss Paul Brereton's future in question after Robodebt decision

ABC  

The future of National Anti-Corruption Commissioner Paul Brereton is in question after a review found he engaged in misconduct by not recusing himself during a decision to rule out an investigation into the Robodebt scheme. Corruption watchdog to reconsider its decision not to investigate Robodebt referrals Photo shows A centrelink sign with on a building with a reflection The National …

National Commission Commissioner Decision Inspector Robodebt Mr Brereton
Corruption watchdog to reconsider its decision not to investigate Robodebt referrals
4 months, 4 weeks ago

Corruption watchdog to reconsider its decision not to investigate Robodebt referrals

ABC  

The National Anti-Corruption Commission has announced it will reconsider its decision not to investigate referrals from the Robodebt royal commission after finding the commissioner did not properly deal with a declared conflict of interest. Commissioner Paul Brereton declared he had a "close association" with one of the people referred to the NACC by the Robodebt royal commission, and so delegated …

Brereton Inspector Decision Commissioner Robodebt Referrals Robodebt Commission Nacc Mr Brereton
Former department bosses Kathryn Campbell and Renee Leon named for breaching duties in relation to Robodebt
6 months, 2 weeks ago

Former department bosses Kathryn Campbell and Renee Leon named for breaching duties in relation to Robodebt

ABC  

A dozen current and former senior public servants involved in the unlawful robodebt scheme breached their code of conduct, including former department bosses Kathryn Campbell and Renee Leon. Against Ms Leon, who served as secretary from September 2017 to early 2020, Mr de Brouwer found 13 breaches, including misrepresentations of the department's legal position on income averaging, failures to correct …

Failure Public Servants Service Department Public Scheme Leon
'Lucky' Bill Shorten offers one more zinger, as he prepares to leave politics
6 months, 3 weeks ago

'Lucky' Bill Shorten offers one more zinger, as he prepares to leave politics

ABC  

Bill Shorten had one last "zinger" to offer when announcing his retirement from politics, as a journalist asked for an inside look into the conversations that led to his decision. "I think you would be one of the great fly fishermen of Australia, with that bait you're dangling," Mr Shorten joked as he spoke in the prime minister's courtyard. Prime …

Politics Labor Prime Election Prime Minister Minister Leader
Anti-corruption watchdog decides not to pursue Robodebt corruption investigation
9 months, 3 weeks ago

Anti-corruption watchdog decides not to pursue Robodebt corruption investigation

ABC  

In short: The National Anti-Corruption Commission will not pursue fresh corruption investigations into six officials involved in the Robodebt scandal. Robodebt royal commissioner Catherine Holmes SC had provided parts of her "sealed" findings to various agencies, including the NACC, after handing her final report to government in July. In a statement on Thursday afternoon, the commission revealed it had received …

Royal Corruption Investigation Public Officials Report Commission Officials
Government lawyer at heart of disastrous Robodebt scheme resigns after questions raised about external work
9 months, 3 weeks ago

Government lawyer at heart of disastrous Robodebt scheme resigns after questions raised about external work

ABC  

In short: Former chief counsel of the Department of Human Services, Annette Musolino, has resigned after the ABC put questions to the government about her external work. In 2020, several years after concerns about the Robodebt scheme's legality were first raised internally within the DHS, Ms Musolino was promoted to the role of chief operating officer of Services Australia. The …

Royal Legal Australia Services Public Servants Work Report
The ATO is reviving old tax debts totalling billions, threatening some taxpayers with bankruptcy
1 year ago

The ATO is reviving old tax debts totalling billions, threatening some taxpayers with bankruptcy

ABC  

After escaping an abusive partner more than a decade ago, Adriana Carrington felt life was just getting back on track. While the debt still theoretically exists, typically the ATO doesn't pursue debts that are deemed "uneconomical to pursue" because it's more costly for the agency to chase them down than to write them off. "The ATO should consider waiving a …

Tax Interest Old Small Carrington Some Cases Ato
Man versus Machine: Why computer malfunction is a serious problem when it comes to our bills
1 year ago

Man versus Machine: Why computer malfunction is a serious problem when it comes to our bills

The Independent  

Post Office helpline staff had a script when subpostmasters and postmistresses called about their problems with Horizon computers. “Trust is a moral relationship and computers are a tool created for people to perform a certain function.” And computer systems are being entrusted with some tasks that have serious ethical issues. open image in gallery OpenAI has been known to have …

Social Media Energy Trust Computer Computers Man Taylor
Bill Shorten hopes thousands of new Services Australia staff will improve agency
1 year, 1 month ago

Bill Shorten hopes thousands of new Services Australia staff will improve agency

ABC  

In short: 3,000 new staff have been recruited to Services Australia. Thousands of new staff joining Services Australia are already turning around an agency struggling with recent performance and cultural problems, according to Government Services Minister Bill Shorten. The federal government has met its target of recruiting 3,000 new employees for Services Australia, after making the $228 million pledge late …

Australia Services Lot Staff Agency New Staff Robodebt
Too many patients are catching COVID in Australian hospitals, doctors say. So why are hospitals rolling back precautions?
1 year, 1 month ago

Too many patients are catching COVID in Australian hospitals, doctors say. So why are hospitals rolling back precautions?

ABC  

Steve Irons' older brother Jim was only supposed to be in hospital for a short while. But senior healthcare workers in several states say vulnerable people — including transplant and oncology patients and others with compromised immune systems — are contracting COVID because even basic precautions are not being taken: a consequence, they say, of hospitals' failure to address airborne …

Health Healthcare Control Patients Healthcare Workers Long Covid Infection
Four public servants breached duties over Robodebt, according to preliminary finding
1 year, 1 month ago

Four public servants breached duties over Robodebt, according to preliminary finding

ABC  

Four current or former public servants have breached the Australian Public Service code of conduct in relation to the Robodebt scheme, according to the preliminary findings of an independent investigation. Last year, the Australian Public Service Commission launched an investigation into 16 public servants who were identified by the royal commission into the unlawful debt recovery program as being involved …

Public Servants Public Code
Government formally responds to Robodebt royal commission, revealing 16 public servants being investigated over scheme
1 year, 4 months ago

Government formally responds to Robodebt royal commission, revealing 16 public servants being investigated over scheme

ABC  

The government has agreed to all of the recommendations from the royal commission into the unlawful Robodebt scheme. Key points: The federal government has accepted all the recommendations from the Robodebt royal commission A sealed section of the report remains secret, and the details of any criminal investigations are not known The public service commissioner is investigating 16 workers referred …

Royal Commission Scheme Robodebt 16 Public Servants
National Anti-Corruption Commission's real challenge is leadership. Will it learn the lessons of the Robodebt investigation?
1 year, 7 months ago

National Anti-Corruption Commission's real challenge is leadership. Will it learn the lessons of the Robodebt investigation?

ABC  

It took decades of scandal, and the repeated establishment of royal commissions, but in 2023, the federal government finally faced up to the obvious: Canberra has as much a corruption problem as anywhere else. The second reason was the extraordinary decision by the ombudsman to share early drafts of its reports with the very departments under scrutiny; even allowing them …

Ombudsman Report Commission Canberra Holmes Robodebt Nacc
Scott Morrison accuses the government of 'rank hypocrisy' over Robodebt criticism, defends report findings
1 year, 7 months ago

Scott Morrison accuses the government of 'rank hypocrisy' over Robodebt criticism, defends report findings

ABC  

Former prime minister Scott Morrison has accused the government of "political lynching" over its criticism of his role in the illegal Robodebt income averaging scheme. Key points: Scott Morrison has doubled down on his rejection of the royal commission into Robodebt's findings against him The royal commission report found Mr Morrison allowed cabinet to be misled, provided untrue evidence and …

Royal Commission Minister Cabinet Scheme Morrison Findings
Kathryn Campbell, senior public servant in Robodebt scheme, resigns from Department of Defence
1 year, 8 months ago

Kathryn Campbell, senior public servant in Robodebt scheme, resigns from Department of Defence

ABC  

Senior public servant Kathryn Campbell has resigned from the Department of Defence after coming under heavy criticism for her role in the Robodebt scandal. Key points: Senior public servant Kathryn Campbell has resigned from the Department of Defence Ms Campbell's resignation comes after a royal commission into the illegal Robodebt scheme her department oversaw The royal commission found Ms Campbell …

Royal Defence Commission Department Campbell Her Role Ms Campbell
Kathryn Campbell first senior bureaucrat suspended after Robodebt royal commission
1 year, 8 months ago

Kathryn Campbell first senior bureaucrat suspended after Robodebt royal commission

ABC  

The senior bureaucrat who oversaw the rollout of the illegal Robodebt scheme has been suspended without pay following the damning findings of the royal commission. Key points: Kathryn Campbell was the head of the Department of Human Services during Robodebt's inception in 2014 The Robodebt royal commission found she "did nothing of substance" when exposed to information about the illegality …

Royal Commission Campbell Scheme Robodebt Ms Campbell Kathryn Campbell
With Robodebt and anonymous No Voice campaign, politics has descended into a dark place, feeding off downward envy
1 year, 8 months ago

With Robodebt and anonymous No Voice campaign, politics has descended into a dark place, feeding off downward envy

ABC  

A leaflet appeared in letterboxes in suburban Melbourne in recent days. In her report about Robodebt, Commissioner Catherine Holmes said: "Anti-welfare rhetoric is easy populism, useful for campaign purposes." The same downward envy Before the politics of attacking welfare bludgers that lay behind the way the Coalition government prosecuted its Robodebt scheme, there was the earlier attack on single mothers …

Politics Welfare Campaign Voice Pay Treaty Robodebt
Law firm that led Robodebt class action considers fresh compensation claim after royal commission
1 year, 8 months ago

Law firm that led Robodebt class action considers fresh compensation claim after royal commission

ABC  

The law firm that spearheaded the Robodebt class action is considering its options for a fresh compensation claim in light of the Robodebt royal commission findings. Key points: The royal commission found elements of a tort of misfeasance in public office had been made Gordon Legal is considering a fresh civil suit in light of those findings The tort would …

Royal Legal Commission Minister Royal Commission Public Office Robodebt
Roughly 443,000 Australians received false Robodebt notices. These are some of their stories
1 year, 8 months ago

Roughly 443,000 Australians received false Robodebt notices. These are some of their stories

ABC  

Robodebt Commissioner Catherine Holmes says the disastrous debt recovery scheme was "crude and cruel" and "made many people feel like criminals". Ms Miller believes it was the almost daily calls and letters from Centrelink and debt collectors in December 2016 that "pushed him over the edge" to take his own life. "The whole social security system does need to be …

Report Son His Son Mike Centrelink Robodebt Victim Jenny Miller
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton criticises the 'glee' of Labor leaders over Robodebt findings, apologises to victims
1 year, 8 months ago

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton criticises the 'glee' of Labor leaders over Robodebt findings, apologises to victims

ABC  

The federal opposition leader has apologised to Robodebt victims but has criticised "the glee" of the prime minister, accusing him of politicising the royal commission's report release. Key points: Mr Dutton called the royal commission an "important process" He said "we will consider" its recommendations Anthony Albanese slammed suggestions Labor was leveraging the report for political gain Commissioner Catherine Holmes …

Labor Royal Opposition Report Minister Leader Dutton
What did the Robodebt royal commission find about the people who oversaw the scheme?
1 year, 8 months ago

What did the Robodebt royal commission find about the people who oversaw the scheme?

ABC  

The political recriminations for findings of the Robodebt royal commission have been swift, with the prime minister dubbing the former debt collecting mechanism a "gross betrayal" of the Australian people. "The Robodebt scheme was a gross betrayal and a human tragedy," Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said following the release of the report. Labor called the royal commission after coming to …

Labor Royal Services Legal Advice Public Servants Debt Recovery Social Services
Kathleen Madgwick tells Robodebt royal commission about her son Jarrad and the damage the scheme caused
2 years ago

Kathleen Madgwick tells Robodebt royal commission about her son Jarrad and the damage the scheme caused

ABC  

Jarrad Madgwick loved his mum fiercely and he didn't care who saw him show it. "The best thing about Jarrad was he was very unique in his closeness, we were very close," Ms Madgwick told the royal commission into the illegal Robodebt scheme on its final day of hearings. "I'm still his mother even though he's not here," Ms Madgwick …

Royal Inquiry Commission Her Son Son Told Scheme