Media release – Prime Minister, Minister for Social Services, Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme, Minister for Government Services, Attorney-General, 25 Aug 2022
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE ROYAL COMMISSION INTO ROBODEBT
The Governor-General His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd) has issued Letters Patent establishing a Royal Commission into the former debt assessment and recovery scheme commonly known as Robodebt.
The inquiry will examine, among other things:
- The establishment, design and implementation of the scheme; who was responsible for it; why they considered Robodebt necessary; and, any concerns raised regarding the legality and fairness;
- The handling of concerns raised about the scheme, including adverse decisions made by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal;
- The outcomes of the scheme, including the harm to vulnerable individuals and the total financial cost to government; and
- Measures needed to prevent similar failures in public administration.
The Royal Commission’s focus will be on decisions made by those in positions of seniority. The full scope of the inquiry is outlined in the Royal Commission’s Terms of Reference.
Commonwealth agencies will work to respond expeditiously to requests made by the Royal Commission.
The Royal Commissioner is Catherine Holmes AC SC. The Commissioner is a former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Queensland and brings vast experience from a distinguished legal career.
The Commissioner led the Queensland Floods Commission of Inquiry following the 2010-11 floods and acted as counsel assisting the Commission of Inquiry into Abuse of Children in Queensland Institutions in 1998-99.
The Government has allocated $30 million for the Royal Commission and the final report will be delivered to the Governor-General by 18 April 2023.
The headquarters of the Royal Commission will be in Brisbane and information about hearing dates and how to participate will be provided in the coming weeks.
A legal financial assistance scheme will be available to people requested to formally engage with the Royal Commission, for example, to appear as a witness.
Media release – independent Member for Clark, Andrew Wilkie, 25 August 2022
ROBODEBT VICTIMS DESERVE ANSWERS
“It’s beyond time the full extent of the damage and harm the failed Robodebt scheme caused is thoroughly examined,” Mr Wilkie said. “Too many people were hurt, some even taking their own lives, for this matter to be consigned to history. There is also the worrying element that Robodebt is merely a symptom of a much bigger and ongoing systemic problem within Services Australia.
“Indeed, Centrelink debt notices are still being raised which in many cases seem to be unfounded. My office was among the first to raise the alarm about Robodebt and continues to take calls daily from people who are confused and distressed because they can’t get a straight answer from Centrelink about their debt or how it has been calculated.
“The hundreds of thousands of Australians who fell victim to this diabolical scam deserve answers and the only way to get them is through an exhaustive and well-resourced inquiry.”
