Robodebt scheme

Since the late 1970s, the Australian Tax Office (ATO) has used data-matching systems to compare income data received from external sources with income reported by taxpayers, to ensure taxation compliance.{{Cite web |last=Australian National Audit Office |date=1996 |title=Australian National Audit Office: INCOME MATCHING SYSTEM Performance Audit |url=https://www.anao.gov.au/sites/default/files/ANAO_Report_1995-96_01.pdf |access-date=25 May 2022 |website=Australian National Audit Office}} In 2001, Services Australia (then the Department of Human Services) piloted a program that compared a customer’s Centrelink income details with ATO data, to identify discrepancies in the information provided to Centrelink.{{Cite web |last=Office of the Australian Information Commissioner |date=September 2019 |title=Centrelink's compliance program Submission 33 - Attachment 1 |url=https://www.aph.gov.au/DocumentStore.ashx?id=6d6a5a0e-9693-405f-8ff7-937b0f5cfb40&subId=671573 |access-date=24 May 2022 |website=Australian Government - Senate Committee - Centrelink's compliance program}} Where there was a discrepancy, Services Australia would decide if the customer had been overpaid and had a debt that should be recovered. This program (known as the Income Matching System, or IMS) was fully rolled out in 2004.{{Cite web |last=Department of Human Services |date=July 2017 |title=Department of Human Services - Supplementary to submission 66 |url=https://www.aph.gov.au/DocumentStore.ashx?id=33b7d278-208d-497c-97f8-9ca3880b68ea&subId=509360 |access-date=25 May 2022 |website=Senate standing committees on community affairs design, scope, cost-benefit analysis, contracts awarded and implementation associated with the better management of the social welfare system initiative |archive-date=5 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240905014918/https://www.aph.gov.au/DocumentStore.ashx?id=33b7d278-208d-497c-97f8-9ca3880b68ea&subId=509360 |url-status=live }} The IMS identified roughly 300,000 possible discrepancies per year. Services Australia would identify and investigate roughly 20,000 of the highest risk discrepancies per year, but were unable to investigate the remaining discrepancies, due to the costs and resources involved in manually investigating and raising debts. The IMS continued largely unchanged until the introduction of the Robodebt scheme in 2016.

In April 2015, measures to create budgetary savings by increasing the pursuit of outstanding debts and investigation of cases of fraud in the Australian welfare system were first flagged by the Minister for Social Services Scott Morrison and the Minister for Human Services Marise Payne,{{Cite web|last1=Morrison|first1=Scott|last2=Payne|first2=Marise|date=10 April 2015|title=Coalition IT reboot to drive welfare reform|url=https://www.marisepayne.com/media/media-releases/coalition-it-reboot-drive-welfare-reform|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209080108/https://www.marisepayne.com/media/media-releases/coalition-it-reboot-drive-welfare-reform|archive-date=9 February 2021|access-date=17 December 2020|website=}} and formally announced by the Abbott government in the 2015 Australian federal budget.{{Cite news|author=Annabel Crabb|date=13 May 2015|title=Budget 2015: Welfare cut by $1.6 billion over four years|publisher=ABC News|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-05-12/federal-government-to-cut-16-billion-from-welfare/6464320|url-status=live|access-date=13 May 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209080020/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-05-12/federal-government-to-cut-$1.6-billion-from-welfare/6464320?nw=0|archive-date=9 February 2021}} Initial estimates in the 2015 budget projected that the scheme would recoup A$1.5 billion for the government.{{Cite web|last=Morrison|first=Liberal|date=10 May 2015|title=The Coalition's Policy for Better Management of the Social Welfare System|url=https://archive.budget.gov.au/2015-16/glossy/Tax-and-Benefits.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209080011/https://archive.budget.gov.au/2015-16/glossy/Tax-and-Benefits.pdf|archive-date=9 February 2021|access-date=10 May 2015|website=Australian Government Budget 2015/16}}

In 2015, the Department of Human Services conducted a two-stage pilot of the Robodebt scheme, targeting debts of selected welfare recipients that were accrued between 2011–2013.{{cite web|title=Centrelink's automated debt raising and recovery system: A report about the Department of Human Services' Online Compliance Intervention system for debt raising and recovery|url=https://www.ombudsman.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0022/43528/Report-Centrelinks-automated-debt-raising-and-recovery-system-April-2017.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209080019/https://www.ombudsman.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0022/43528/Report-Centrelinks-automated-debt-raising-and-recovery-system-April-2017.pdf|archive-date=9 February 2021|access-date=17 December 2020|work=Commonwealth Ombudsman}} Following the 2015 Liberal Party Leadership Spill and 2016 Australian federal election, the Turnbull government implemented an overhaul of the federal welfare budget in an effort to crack down on Centrelink overpayments believed to have occurred between 2010 and 2013 under the Gillard government.

On 20 September 2015, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced that Christian Porter would replace Scott Morrison as Social Services Minister as part of a Cabinet overhaul.{{Cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-20/malcolm-turnbull-announces-new-cabinet/6790098|title=Turnbull dumps ministers to make way for Cabinet 'renewal'|last1=Clarke|first1=political reporter Melissa|last2=Conifer|first2=Dan|date=2015-09-20|website=ABC News|language=en-AU|access-date=2019-11-25}}

In July 2016, the manual system began to be replaced with the Online Compliance Intervention, an automated data-matching technique with less human oversight, capable of identifying and issuing computer-generated debt notices to welfare recipients who had potentially been overpaid. The new system was fully online by September 2016. In December 2016, Minister for Social Services Christian Porter publicly announced the implementation of this new automated debt recovery scheme – which was given the colloquial name "Robodebt" by the media – was estimated to be capable of issuing debt notices at a rate of 20,000 a week.{{cite news|last1=Belot|first1=Henry|date=12 January 2017|title=Centrelink debt recovery: Government knew of potential problems with automated program|publisher=ABC News|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-01-12/government-knew-of-potential-problems-with-centrelink-system/8177988|url-status=live|access-date=18 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209080027/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-01-12/government-knew-of-potential-problems-with-centrelink-system/8177988|archive-date=9 February 2021}}

The scheme went through several iterations and formal names, including:{{cite web |url=https://robodebt.royalcommission.gov.au/publications/letters-patent|title=Letters Patent |work=Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme|publisher=Australian Government|date=18 August 2022 |access-date=21 January 2023 }}

• PAYG Manual Compliance Intervention program, from 1 July 2015 to 1 July 2016, including the associated pilot programs from early 2015 to 30 June 2015.
• Online Compliance Intervention from 1 July 2016 to 10 February 2017.
• Employment Income Confirmation from 11 February 2017 to 30 September 2018.
• Check and Update Past Income from 30 September 2018 to 29 May 2020.

File:Scott Morrison 2014.jpg

In early January 2017, six months after the commencement of automated debt recovery, it was announced that the scheme had issued 169,000 debt notices{{cite news|last1=Anderson|first1=Stephanie|title=Centrelink debt recovery system failures have 'frightened' recipients, Andrew Wilkie says|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-01-04/centrelink-debt-recovery-system-designed-by-dunderhead-wilkie/8160990|access-date=18 January 2017|publisher=ABC News|date=5 January 2017|archive-date=9 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209080028/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-01-04/centrelink-debt-recovery-system-designed-by-dunderhead-wilkie/8160990|url-status=live}} and recovered {{AUD|300 million}}.{{cite news|last1=Anderson|first1=Stephanie|title=Centrelink: Social Services Minister Christian Porter defends debt recovery system|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-01-03/christian-porter-defends-centrelink-debt-recovery-system/8158286|access-date=30 May 2020|publisher=ABC News|date=3 January 2017|archive-date=9 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209080028/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-01-03/christian-porter-defends-centrelink-debt-recovery-system/8158286|url-status=live}} Based on these figures, it was suggested that a similar automated debt recovery system would be applied to the Aged Pension and Disability Pension, in order to potentially recover a further {{AUD|1 billion}}.

The 2018 Australian federal budget indicated that the Robodebt data matching scheme would be extended into 2021 with the aim of recovering an additional {{AUD|373 million}} from welfare recipients.{{cite news |last1=Snape |first1=Jack |last2=Sweeney |first2=Lucy |last3=Piper |first3=Georgina |date=8 May 2018 |title=Find out if you're a winner or a loser in this year's budget |language=en-AU |work=ABC News |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-05-08/federal-budget-2018-winners-losers/9738982 |url-status=live |access-date=8 May 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209080040/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-05-08/federal-budget-2018-winners-losers/9738982?nw=0 |archive-date=9 February 2021}}

Services Australia announced in September 2019 that expenditure on the Robodebt program was {{AUD|606 million}} while recouping {{AUD|785 million}}.{{cite web |last=Burgess |first=Katie |date=27 September 2019 |title=Robodebt Centrelink compliance program cost $600m to recoup $785m so far |url=https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6407984/four-of-five-robodebt-reviews-hit-with-a-debt-as-cost-revealed/ |url-access=limited |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209080030/https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6407984/four-of-five-robodebt-reviews-hit-with-a-debt-as-cost-revealed/digital-subscription/ |archive-date=9 February 2021 |access-date=19 January 2021 |work=The Canberra Times}}

Opponents of the Robodebt scheme said that errors in the system were leading to welfare recipients paying non-existent debts or debts that were larger than what they actually owed, whilst some welfare recipients had been required to make payments while contesting their debts.{{cite news|last1=Belot|first1=Henry|title=Centrelink's controversial data matching program to target pensioners and disabled, Labor calls for suspension|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-01-17/labor-calls-for-suspension-of-centrelink-debt-recovery-program/8187934|access-date=19 January 2017|publisher=ABC News|date=17 January 2017|archive-date=9 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209080048/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-01-17/labor-calls-for-suspension-of-centrelink-debt-recovery-program/8187934|url-status=live}} In some cases, the debts being pursued dated back further than the ATO requests that Australians retain their documentation. Particular criticism focused on the burden of proof being moved from Centrelink needing to verify the information, to being on the individual to prove they did not owe the funds, with human interaction being very limited in the dispatch of the debt letters.

Politicians from the Australian Labor Party, Australian Greens, Pauline Hanson's One Nation, and Independent Andrew Wilkie criticized the scheme and its automated debt calculation methods.{{Cite news |date=29 May 2020 |title=Bill Shorten says 'Robodebt' scheme was illegal |work=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-29/bill-shorten-says-robodebt-scheme-was-illegal/12302002 |url-status=live |access-date=29 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209080103/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-29/bill-shorten-says-robodebt-scheme-was-illegal/12302002?nw=0 |archive-date=9 February 2021}}{{cite news|last1=Hunter|first1=Fergus|title=One Nation brands Centrelink robo-debt recovery 'malicious' and 'criminal'|url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/one-nation-brands-centrelink-robodebt-recovery-malicious-and-criminal-20170118-gttvnp.html|access-date=30 May 2020|publisher=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=18 January 2017|archive-date=9 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209080140/https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/one-nation-brands-centrelink-robodebt-recovery-malicious-and-criminal-20170118-gttvnp.html|url-status=live}} The scheme was also criticized by advocacy groups for people affected by poverty, disadvantage, and inequality, including the Australian Council of Social Services (ACOSS) and the Saint Vincent de Paul Society.

Allegations levelled against the scheme by the media, former and current welfare recipients, advocacy groups, politicians and relatives of welfare recipients include:

• Welfare recipients' suicide after receiving automated debt recovery notices for significant sums.{{cite news |last1=Henriques-Gomes |first1=Luke |date=31 July 2020 |title='Not correct' that robodebt caused suicides, former head of Human Services says |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/jul/31/not-correct-that-robodebt-caused-suicides-former-head-of-human-services-says |url-status=live |access-date=5 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209080135/https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/jul/31/not-correct-that-robodebt-caused-suicides-former-head-of-human-services-says |archive-date=9 February 2021}}{{cite news |last1=McPherson |first1=Emily |title=Queensland man took his own life after learning of Centrelink debt, mum says |url=https://www.9news.com.au/national/centrelink-robodebts-queensland-man-took-his-own-life-over-debt-mum-says-australia-news/e31e6f28-2e4b-4d3f-9095-d8f74e00cbc1 |access-date=5 August 2020 |work=Nine News |date=30 July 2019 |archive-date=9 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209080048/https://www.9news.com.au/national/centrelink-robodebts-queensland-man-took-his-own-life-over-debt-mum-says-australia-news/e31e6f28-2e4b-4d3f-9095-d8f74e00cbc1 |url-status=live }}
• Debt notices were issued to deceased people.{{Cite news |last1=Farrell |first1=Paul |last2=McDonald |first2=Alex |title=Centrelink robodebt raised against dead disability pensioner |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-07-29/centrelink-robodebt-raised-against-dead-disability-pensioner/11342994 |access-date=5 August 2020 |work=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=29 July 2019 |archive-date=9 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209080050/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-07-29/centrelink-robodebt-raised-against-dead-disability-pensioner/11342994 |url-status=live }}
• Issuing debt notices to disability pensioners.{{Cite news |last1=Farrell |first1=Paul |title=Centrelink accused of 'disability bullying' after man with intellectual disability receives $15,000 robodebt |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-10-07/centrelink-accused-of-disability-bullying-over-$15,000-robodebt/11570920 |access-date=5 August 2020 |work=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=7 October 2019 |archive-date=9 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209080050/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-10-07/centrelink-accused-of-disability-bullying-over-$15,000-robodebt/11570920 |url-status=live }}
• Revelations that debt notices were issued to 663 vulnerable people (people with complex needs like mental illness and abuse victims) who died soon after.{{Cite web|last=Medhora|first=Shalailah|date=2019-02-18|title=Over 2000 people died after receiving Centrelink robo-debt notice, figures reveal|url=https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/hack/2030-people-have-died-after-receiving-centrelink-robodebt-notice/10821272|access-date=2020-10-27|website=triple j|language=en|archive-date=9 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209080049/https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/hack/2030-people-have-died-after-receiving-centrelink-robodebt-notice/10821272|url-status=live}}

File:Christian Porter Portrait 2015.jpg

After the Turnbull government implemented the Robodebt scheme, many recipients of debt notices filed complaints with the Commonwealth Ombudsman. This led to the agency investigating the scheme, with the final report and recommendations delivered in April 2017. The ombudsman recommended that the Department of Human Services (DHS) should:

• reassess the debts raised by the scheme
• improve the clarity of debt notices and give customers better information
• inform customers that their ATO income will be averaged across the relevant period if they do not enter their income information
• notify welfare recipients that debts based on averaged ATO income may be less accurate
• help welfare recipients to gather evidence with which to effectively respond to debt notices.

The ombudsman also recommended that before expanding the scheme, the DHS should undertake a comprehensive evaluation of the scheme in its current form, and consider how to mitigate the risk of possible over-recovery of debts.

The Robodebt scheme was the subject of a Senate committee inquiry beginning in 2017.{{cite news |last=Doran |first=Matthew |date=8 March 2017 |title=Centrelink debt recovery program to face Senate committee grilling |language=en-AU |work=ABC News |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-03-08/centrelink-debt-recovery-program-to-be-investigated/8334072 |url-status=live |access-date=21 May 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209080145/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-03-08/centrelink-debt-recovery-program-to-be-investigated/8334072 |archive-date=9 February 2021}} The inquiry had a number of findings and made a number of recommendations,{{cite web |url=https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Community_Affairs/SocialWelfareSystem/Report/c06 |title=Chapter 6: Conclusions and recommendations |work=Parliament of Australia |access-date=30 May 2020 |archive-date=9 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209080057/https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Community_Affairs/SocialWelfareSystem/Report/c06 |url-status=live }} including:

• "That a lack of procedural fairness is evident in every stage of the program, which should be put on hold until all procedural fairness flaws are addressed".
• "That the Robodebt scheme disempowered people, causing emotional trauma, stress and shame".
• "That the Department of Human Services has a fundamental conflict of interest – the harder it is for people to navigate this system and prove their correct income data, the more money the department recoups".
• "That the Department of Human Services should resume full responsibility for calculating verifiable debts (including manual checking) relating to income support overpayments, which are based on actual fortnightly earnings and not an assumed average; and provide those issued debt notices with the debt calculation data required to be assured any debts are correct".

In February 2019, Legal Aid Victoria announced a federal court challenge of the scheme's calculations used to estimate debt, stating that the calculations assumed that people are working regular, full-time hours when calculating income. In November 2019, the federal government agreed to orders by the Federal Court of Australia in Amato v the Commonwealth that the averaging process using ATO income data to calculate debts was unlawful, and announced that it would no longer raise debts without first gathering evidence – such as payslips – to prove a person had underreported their earnings to Centrelink.

On 16 November 2020, the Australian government announced a $1.2 billion settlement of robodebt claims, with approximately 400,000 people receiving compensation.{{Cite web |last=Henriques-Gomes |first=Luke |date=2020-11-16 |title=Robodebt class action: Coalition agrees to pay $1.2bn to settle lawsuit |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/nov/16/robodebt-class-action-coalition-agrees-to-pay-12bn-to-settle-lawsuit |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209080011/https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/nov/16/robodebt-class-action-coalition-agrees-to-pay-12bn-to-settle-lawsuit |archive-date=9 February 2021 |access-date=2020-12-16 |website=The Guardian |language=en}} This settlement was in addition to amounts that the Commonwealth government had already agreed to refund or cease pursuing in other cases.{{cite news |last1=Henriques-Gomes |first1=Luke |title=Robodebt: government admits it will be forced to refund $550m under botched scheme |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/mar/27/robodebt-government-admits-it-will-be-forced-to-refund-550m-under-botched-scheme |access-date=25 May 2025 |work=The Guardian |date=26 March 2020}}

File:Stuart Robert 2015.jpg

On 29 May 2020, Stuart Robert, Minister for Government Services announced that the Robodebt debt recovery scheme was to be scrapped by the Government, with 470,000 wrongly-issued debts to be repaid in full.

Initially, the total sum of the repayments was estimated to be {{AUD|721 million}}. However, in November 2020 this figure expanded to {{AUD|1.2 billion}} after the Australian government settled a class-action lawsuit before it could go to trial.

On 31 May 2020, Attorney-General Christian Porter, who was Minister for Social Services when the Robodebt system was first implemented, and who had previously defended the scheme, conceded that the use of averaged income data to calculate welfare overpayments was unlawful, stating that there was "no lawful basis for it".{{Cite news |date=31 May 2020 |title=Government concedes flaws but refuses to apologise for its unlawful robodebt program |work=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-31/robodebt-federal-government-christian-porter-no-apology/12304672 |url-status=live |access-date=31 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209080114/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-31/robodebt-federal-government-christian-porter-no-apology/12304672 |archive-date=9 February 2021}}

After weeks of criticism from the Opposition, in June 2020, Prime Minister Scott Morrison, in response to a question from the opposition concerning a particular victim of the scheme, stated in parliament that "I would apologise for any hurt or harm in the way that the Government has dealt with that issue and to anyone else who has found themselves in those situations". As of 31 July 2020, it was announced that {{AUD|224 million}} had been repaid to more than 145,000 welfare recipients.{{Cite news |last1=Hayne |first1=Jordan |date=31 July 2020 |title=Robodebt refunds top $220 million as Social Services boss rejects suicide claims |work=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-07-31/robodebt-refunds-top-220-million-centrelink/12512310 |url-status=live |access-date=5 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209080110/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-07-31/robodebt-refunds-top-220-million-centrelink/12512310 |archive-date=9 February 2021}}

On 11 June 2021, the Federal Court approved a A$1.872 billion settlement incorporating repayment of A$751 million, wiping of all remaining debts, and the legal costs running to A$8.4 million.{{Cite web |last=Turner |first=Rebecca |date=2021-06-11 |title=Robodebt condemned as a 'shameful chapter' in withering assessment by federal court judge |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-06-11/robodebt-condemned-by-federal-court-judge-as-shameful-chapter/100207674 |access-date=2021-06-11 |website=ABC News |language=en-AU |archive-date=11 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210611055006/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-06-11/robodebt-condemned-by-federal-court-judge-as-shameful-chapter/100207674 |url-status=live }} In ruling against the scheme, Justice Bernard Murphy described it as a "shameful chapter in the administration of the commonwealth" and "a massive failure of public administration”. The Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said the government accepted the settlement, but distanced himself from the suicides and mental health issues surrounding the administration of the scheme. Services Australia has stated they will commence repayments in 2022 to people who have overpaid according to debt recalculations.{{Cite web |title=Information about refunds for the income compliance program - Class action settlement - Services Australia |url=https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/individuals/subjects/information-about-refunds-income-compliance-program/class-action-settlement |access-date=2021-06-12 |website=www.servicesaustralia.gov.au}}

In October 2022, the Albanese Government effectively forgave the debts of 197,000 people who were still under review.

The scheme was again the subject of a Senate committee inquiry, which began in 2019.

In the July 2020 hearing, Kathryn Campbell (former head of Services Australia) denied that the scheme had led to welfare recipients suiciding after receiving debt notices, despite allegations from Centrelink staff and the family members of welfare recipients who took their own lives.

Senator O'Neill in the August 2020 hearing, read two letters from mothers whose sons died by suicide following the receiving of a Robodebt notice.{{Cite web |last=Senate Committee - Centrelink's compliance program |date=17 August 2020 |title=Hansard: Community Affairs References Committee - Centrelink's compliance program |url=https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id:%22committees/commsen/5c25502c-24df-426f-b7d9-f9547e6b93a2/0001%22 |access-date=2022-05-25 |website=Hansard: Community Affairs References Committee - Centrelink's compliance program |archive-date=5 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240905014925/https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id:%22committees/commsen/5c25502c-24df-426f-b7d9-f9547e6b93a2/0001%22 |url-status=live }}

Initially meant to report its findings in December 2019, the inquiry's deadline was extended six times, with the Senate committee delivering its final report in May 2022.

The five interim reports found that the Robodebt scheme had "indiscriminately targeted some of Australia’s most vulnerable people", and that vulnerable people must be protected from government misuse of technology. It also found that the government had lacked rigour and ignored early warnings, and that the govennment was still withholding critical information about the Income Compliance Program. It noted that the committee had been hindered in producing its final report due to "entrenched resistance and opacity" from ministers and departments.{{cite web |title=Chapter 2: A massive failure of public administration |url=https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Community_Affairs/Centrelinkcompliance/Final_Report/section?id=committees%2freportsen%2f024846%2f79252 |access-date=19 May 2022 |work=Parliament of Australia |archive-date=5 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240905015033/https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Community_Affairs/Centrelinkcompliance/Final_Report/section?id=committees%2Freportsen%2F024846%2F79252 |url-status=live }}

The sixth and final report made a single recommendation - that "the Commonwealth Government should establish a Royal Commission into the Robodebt scheme".

{{main|Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme}}

In June 2020, the Greens and Labor called for a Royal Commission into Robodebt, to "determine those responsible for the scheme, and its impact on Australians".{{cite news |last=Henriques-Gomes |first=Luke |date=2 June 2020 |title=Calls for royal commission into robodebt and apology from Morrison government |language=en-AU |work=The Guardian Australia |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/jun/02/calls-for-royal-commission-into-robodebt-and-apology-from-morrison-government |access-date=1 May 2022 |archive-date=5 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240905014920/https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/jun/02/calls-for-royal-commission-into-robodebt-and-apology-from-morrison-government |url-status=live }}{{cite news |title=Labor calls for royal commission into robodebt scheme |url=https://www.9news.com.au/national/centrelink-robodebt-labor-leader-anthony-albanese-calls-for-royal-commission/68b9ed61-2870-40c6-8ce3-3df1cc31270c |access-date=1 May 2022 |work=Nine News |date=23 June 2020 |language=en-AU |archive-date=5 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240905014921/https://www.9news.com.au/national/centrelink-robodebt-labor-leader-anthony-albanese-calls-for-royal-commission/68b9ed61-2870-40c6-8ce3-3df1cc31270c |url-status=live }} These calls have been reiterated by university academics,{{cite news |last=O'Donovan |first=Darren |date=23 June 2020 |title=We need a royal commission into robodebt |language=en-AU |work=La Trobe University |url=https://www.latrobe.edu.au/news/articles/2020/opinion/we-need-a-royal-commission-into-robodebt |access-date=1 May 2022}} and by ACOSS, which stated that "although some restitution has been delivered to victims of Robodebt, they have not received justice".{{cite news |title=Calls heard again for royal commission into 'horrific' and unlawful robodebt scheme |url=https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/calls-heard-again-for-royal-commission-into-horrific-and-unlawful-robodebt-scheme/v7opi9dby |access-date=1 May 2022 |work=SBS News |date=19 August 2021 |language=en-AU |archive-date=5 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240905014924/https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/calls-heard-again-for-royal-commission-into-horrific-and-unlawful-robodebt-scheme/v7opi9dby |url-status=live }}

In May 2022, the sixth and final report from the second Senate inquiry into the scheme recommended a Royal Commission, "to completely understand how the failures of the Income Compliance Program came to pass, and why they were allowed to continue for so long despite the dire impacts on people issued with debts".

In June 2020 Labor had stated that only a Royal Commission would be able to obtain the truth about Robodebt.{{Cite web |date=2020-06-22 |title=Labor bid for robodebt inquiry |url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/labor-has-called-for-a-royal-commission-into-the-morrison-governments-flawed-robodebt-scheme/news-story/9c1c5f4e2378c153e4bd597fc69b6875 |access-date=2022-05-25 |website=www.theaustralian.com.au |language=en |url-access=subscription |archive-date=29 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220929095633/https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/labor-has-called-for-a-royal-commission-into-the-morrison-governments-flawed-robodebt-scheme/news-story/9c1c5f4e2378c153e4bd597fc69b6875 |url-status=live }} Labor subsequently budgeted $30M in its election costings for the 2022 election for a Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme.{{Cite web |title=Robodebt Royal Commission |url=https://www.alp.org.au/policies/robodebt-royal-commission |access-date=2022-05-25 |website=www.alp.org.au |language=en}} ACOSS chief executive Cassandra Goldie welcomed this saying "The Robodebt affair was not just a maladministration scandal, it was a human tragedy that resulted in people taking their lives".{{cite news |title=Labor pledges royal commission into 'human tragedy' of robodebt if elected |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/apr/30/labor-pledges-royal-commission-into-human-tragedy-of-robodebt-if-elected |access-date=25 May 2022 |work=Guardian Australia |date=30 April 2022 |language=en |archive-date=5 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240905015426/https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/apr/30/labor-pledges-royal-commission-into-human-tragedy-of-robodebt-if-elected |url-status=live }}

Following Labor’s election win,{{Cite web |last=Karp |first=Paul |date=2022-05-30 |title=Labor secures majority government despite record non-major party vote and crossbench |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/may/30/labor-secures-majority-government-despite-record-non-major-party-vote-and-crossbench |access-date=2022-06-22 |website=the Guardian |language=en |archive-date=31 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220531032158/https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/may/30/labor-secures-majority-government-despite-record-non-major-party-vote-and-crossbench |url-status=live }} Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme, with Letters Patent issued on 25 August 2022. The Royal Commission was chaired by former Queensland Supreme Court Justice Catherine Holmes and was expected to conclude on 18 April 2023.{{Cite news |last=Hegarty |first=Nicole |date=25 August 2022 |title=Robodebt royal commission established to investigate almost $2 billion in unlawful debt claims |language=en-AU |work=ABC News |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-08-25/robodebt-royal-commission-to-probe-unlawful-debt-collection/101357198 |access-date=25 August 2022 |archive-date=25 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220825002001/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-08-25/robodebt-royal-commission-to-probe-unlawful-debt-collection/101357198 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=McPherson |first=Emily |date=August 25, 2022 |title=Explained: A Robodebt royal commission has been announced. What can we expect next? |url=https://www.9news.com.au/national/robodebt-royal-commision-centrelink-albanese-announces-probe-into-disatrous-welfare-recovery-scheme/1bf49e3f-e8d9-40a8-aeb5-b5303afa8da5 |access-date=2022-08-27 |website=www.9news.com.au |archive-date=26 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220826215642/https://www.9news.com.au/national/robodebt-royal-commision-centrelink-albanese-announces-probe-into-disatrous-welfare-recovery-scheme/1bf49e3f-e8d9-40a8-aeb5-b5303afa8da5 |url-status=live }} The deadline was extended twice, first until 30 June and later until 7 July 2023.{{cite web |last=Webber |first=Miriam |date=11 May 2023 |title=Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus extends deadline for final report into robodebt royal commission |url=https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/8192636/final-report-into-robodebt-delayed-again/ |url-access=limited |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230515223716/https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/8192636/final-report-into-robodebt-delayed-again/ |archive-date=15 May 2023 |work=The Canberra Times}}

In November 2022 it was disclosed that legal advice before the scheme started was that it did not comply with legislation. Commissioner Catherine Holmes asked DSS lawyer Anne Pulford, "You get an advice in draft, and if it's not favourable you just leave it that way?"; Pulford responded "Yes, Commissioner".{{cite news | last=Henriques-Gomes | first=Luke | title='A shameful chapter': how Australia's robodebt saga was allowed to unfold | newspaper=The Guardian | date=4 November 2022 | url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/nov/05/a-shameful-chapter-how-australias-robodebt-saga-was-allowed-to-unfold | access-date=5 November 2022 | archive-date=5 September 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240905015428/https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/nov/05/a-shameful-chapter-how-australias-robodebt-saga-was-allowed-to-unfold | url-status=live }}

The final report of the Royal Commission was released on 7 July 2023. Along with 57 recommendations, a sealed section referred several unnamed individuals for further investigation or action, to four separate bodies:{{Cite news |last1=Lewis |first1=Alexander |last2=Jones |date=2023-07-07 |title=Commissioner brands Robodebt 'extraordinary saga' of 'venality, incompetence and cowardice' |language=en-AU |work=ABC News |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-07-07/robodebt-royal-commission-findings-revealed/102531450 |access-date=2023-07-15 |archive-date=7 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230707065702/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-07-07/robodebt-royal-commission-findings-revealed/102531450 |url-status=live }}

• the Australian Federal Police
• the National Anti-Corruption Commission
• the Law Society (although it is unclear which jurisdiction), and
• the Australian Public Service Commissioner.

Kathryn Campbell, then working on the AUKUS program at the Department of Defence, was suspended without pay from her role on 20 July.{{Cite news |last1=Karp |first1=Paul |last2=Hurst |first2=Daniel |last3=Remeikis |first3=Amy |date=2023-07-20 |title=Senior public servant Kathryn Campbell suspended without pay after robodebt findings |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/jul/20/senior-public-servant-kathryn-campbell-suspended-without-pay-after-robodebt-findings |access-date=2023-07-20 |issn=0261-3077 |archive-date=5 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240905015524/https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/jul/20/senior-public-servant-kathryn-campbell-suspended-without-pay-after-robodebt-findings |url-status=live }}

Kathryn Campbell resigned from the Department of Defence effective 21 July 2023.{{Cite news |date=2023-07-24 |title=Senior public servant in Robodebt scheme resigns from Department of Defence |language=en-AU |work=ABC News |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-07-24/kathryn-campbell-resigns-from-defence-department-after-robodebt/102641370 |access-date=2023-10-12}}

Colleen Taylor, a former employee of the department, received a 2024 King's Birthday Honour for her efforts to expose the scheme. Taylor had tried to raise concerns internally in 2017, and had testified at the Royal Commission.{{Cite web |date=2024-06-17 |title=King’s Birthday Honours recognition for the worker who raised the alarm about Robodebt |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-06-17/king-s-birthday-honours-recognition-for-robodebt-whistle-blower/103989576 |access-date=2024-08-18 |website=www.abc.net.au |language=en-AU |archive-date=18 August 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240818080656/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-06-17/king-s-birthday-honours-recognition-for-robodebt-whistle-blower/103989576 |url-status=live }}

In September 2024, the Australian Public Service Commission announced that its investigation into the individuals had concluded, leading to several fines and demotions. No individuals were fired from their role.{{Cite web |last=Morton |first=Rick |date=2024-09-13 |title=‘Lost their way’: 12 public servants breached code of conduct over robodebt |url=https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/law-crime/2024/09/13/lost-their-way-12-public-servants-breached-code-conduct-over-robodebt#mtr |access-date=2024-09-13 |website=The Saturday Paper |language=en}}

Following the findings of public service misconduct, lawyers representing the class action announced they would appeal their previous $1.8B settlement, seeking compensation for the further breaches uncovered.{{Cite news |last=Karp |first=Paul |last2= |first2= |date=2024-09-25 |title=Robodebt victims seek further compensation due to ‘damning new evidence’ |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/sep/25/robodebt-victims-seek-further-compensation-due-to-damning-new-evidence |access-date=2024-09-27 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}

The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) is currently investigating 6 individuals referred to it by the Royal Commission.

Initially, the NACC had decided not to pursue the referrals, deciding in June 2024 that it was unlikely to obtain new evidence and noted that five out of the six were already under investigation by the Australian Public Service Commission.{{Cite news |date=2024-06-06 |title=Anti-corruption watchdog decides not to pursue Robodebt corruption investigation |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-06-06/nacc-hands-down-robodebt-update/103945510 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240818055241/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-06-06/nacc-hands-down-robodebt-update/103945510 |archive-date=18 August 2024 |access-date=2024-08-18 |work=ABC News |language=en-AU}} A former NSW Supreme Court judge, Anthony Whealy, stated that the NACC's refusal to investigate the individuals meant that it had "betrayed its core obligation and failed to carry out its primary statutory duty".{{Cite web |last=Koutsoukis |first=Jason |date=2024-09-07 |title=How the NACC ‘betrayed its core obligation’ |url=https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/law-crime/2024/09/07/how-the-nacc-betrayed-its-core-obligation#mtr |access-date=2024-09-07 |website=The Saturday Paper |language=en}} The NACC's decision received over 1200 complaints,{{Cite news |date=2024-10-29 |title=Corruption watchdog to reconsider its decision not to investigate Robodebt referrals |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-30/nacc-to-reconsider-robodebt-referrals/104535738 |access-date=2024-10-30 |work=ABC News |language=en-AU}} sparking an independent inquiry into the decision by the [https://www.oiicac.nsw.gov.au/ Inspector of the NACC], Ms Gail Furness SC.{{Cite news |date=2024-06-13 |title=Inquiry launched into why anti-corruption commission decided against further scrutiny of robodebt scandal |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-06-13/inquiry-into-nacc-decision-not-to-probe-robodebt/103974678 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240815071320/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-06-13/inquiry-into-nacc-decision-not-to-probe-robodebt/103974678 |archive-date=15 August 2024 |access-date=2024-08-18 |work=ABC News |language=en-AU}}

The Inspector obtained documents relating to the decision, and requested submissions from the NACC by October.{{Cite web |last=Bajkowski |first=Julian |date=2024-09-26 |title=Investigation into NACC handling of robo-referrals accelerates |url=https://www.themandarin.com.au/255931-investigation-into-nacc-handling-of-robo-referrals-accelerates/ |access-date=2024-09-26 |website=The Mandarin |language=en-US}} The Inspector found that Commissioner Paul Brereton had a perceived conflict on interest due to a "close association" with one of the individuals involved, and should have recused himself from the decision. The NACC appointed an independent person to reconsider the decision not to investigate.{{Cite web |last=NACC |date=30 October 2024 |title=Public statement: NACC to reconsider decision not to investigate Robodebt referrals |url=https://www.nacc.gov.au/news-and-media/public-statement-nacc-reconsider-decision-not-investigate-robodebt-referrals |access-date=30 October 2024 |website=NACC}} In February 2025, the NACC decided that it would investigate the 6 individuals referred to it.{{Cite web |last=Bajkowski |first=Julian |date=2025-02-18 |title=Robodebt six will now face NACC investigation |url=https://www.themandarin.com.au/286781-robodebt-six-will-now-face-nacc-investigation/ |access-date=2025-05-23 |website=The Mandarin |language=en-US}}

The investigation is now taking place, as of 2025.

• Dutch childcare benefits scandal
• British Post Office scandal

{{clear}}

{{reflist}}

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