Government accepts all Robotdebt RC. Recommendations
Nov 13, 2023 14:11:21 GMT 7
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Post by bear on Nov 13, 2023 14:11:21 GMT 7
Government accepts all recommendations of robodebt inquiry ( Guardian Live)
The government has accepted, either in full or in principle, all 56 recommendations of the robodebt royal commission.
Bill Shorten says:
Robodebt was a cruel and crude mechanism. It was neither fair nor legal. It treated everyday Australians as criminals, guilty till proven innocent.
I thank the work of the Commissioner, Justice Catherine Holmes. I thank all the advocates, the activists, the victims, the whistleblowers, who gave such compelling evidence. There were 100 witnesses over 46 days of hearing.
The commission, as you know, handed down and made 56 recommendations across government, represented by the ministers here.
The Albanese Government is accepting in full, or agreeing in principle, to all of the 56 recommendations.
The Government’s already begun to move on a lot of these recommendations.
In my portfolio, there are 26 recommendations. Even in the last week, we’ve announced 3,000 extra staff to make sure that we can process payments in a timely and accurate fashion.
We’ve stopped using external debt collectors, which was a feature of the previous scheme under Robodebt.
We’re improving our communications with people who use our system.
Most importantly, under the Albanese Government, we don’t think that people who use our social security system are second-class Australians.
We do not believe in a war on the poor.
Paul Karp is at this press conference and he asks “how long before we see some more robo-justice? And for the other ministers, is there any update you can give on the Public Service criminal or NACC investigations?” (Nacc is the national anti-corruption commission)
Katy Gallagher gives the answer here:
There are 16 investigations, or 16 referrals to the Public Service Commissioner. All of those 16 investigations have commenced.
There are 16 investigations, or 16 referrals to the Public Service Commissioner. All of those 16 investigations have commenced.
In terms of the Nacc though, one of the rules of the Nacc is that you don’t talk about what is happening with the Nacc.
Katy Gallagher spoke on the robodebt royal commission and said:
I think one of the issues that was highlighted during Robodebt was the public commentary and messaging by ministers, which made it clear they didn’t want to take advice from the APS.
We value advice. We want advice from the APS.
Whether that’s contested, whether it’s advice we want to hear, it’s an important role for the APS to be able to be in a position where it’s able to provide that advice.
And I think another significant failing in the scheme that was highlighted by the Robodebt Royal Commission was that that environment was not one that the former government sought or encouraged, and that affected, I think, the longevity of the scheme and the impact on hundreds of thousands of Australians.