‘Incredibly disappointing’: Lack of consequences for robodebt’s overseers slammed
While frontline public servants continue to bear the brunt of the public’s mistrust of the APS after the Robodebt debacle, those at the top have been able to walk away unscathed, the union representing public servants has said.
CPSU national secretary Melissa Donnelly decried the lack of consequences for former secretaries following the release of the Public Service Commission’s robodebt inquiry.
“While CPSU members are relieved to see those responsible found guilty of serious Code of Conduct breaches, it is incredibly disappointing that there are no meaningful consequences for those at the top,” Ms Donnelly said.
“While the likes of Kathryn Campbell move on with their lives without sanction, our members continue to deal with the consequences of the scheme on those communities they serve and the loss of public trust.”
The report found 12 public servants breached the code 97 times, and showed a lack of care and diligence and a lack of honesty and integrity.
The report named two former heads of the Department of Human Services, Kathryn Campbell and Renee Leon, as breaching their obligations.
The former secretaries were found to have breached their obligations as public servants 25 times.
The commission cannot sanction either Ms Leon or Ms Campbell, as they are no longer employed by the APS.
Sanctions recommended for current public servants include reprimands, finds, and demotions.
Minister for Public Service and ACT senator Katy Gallagher said senior public servants who had a hand in what she described as a “shameful chapter” were being held to account following the publication of the Public Service Commission’s robodebt inquiry.
“The robodebt scheme, run by the former Liberal government, was illegal and one of the worst failures of public administration in history,” she said.
Ms Donnelly said the “shocking failures” revealed in the report were known to the public servants who spoke up.
“CPSU members working on the frontline saw the terrible consequences of robodebt firsthand,” Ms Donnelly said.
“Frontline workers immediately understood the flaws in the scheme and knew the havoc it would wreak on vulnerable people. They raised the alarm publicly and with senior management and their concerns were ignored.”
The commission found Ms Campbell created and allowed a culture that prevented issues about the scheme from being properly considered within the department, including aggressive and abusive behaviour by a deputy secretary.
The commission did not substantiate allegations that Ms Campbell called for the preparation of legal advice to cease, and that the failed to discharge her legal obligations with the engagement of PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Minister for Government Services Bill Shorten declined to comment with his office directing inquiries to Senator Gallagher.
Senator Gallagher said the report was “robust, independent, and fair”.
“Some former departmental secretaries and public servants made mistakes, showed a lack of care, diligence, integrity and leadership and they are being held to account for the part they played in the robodebt failure,” Senator Gallagher said.
Following the conclusion of the commission’s inquiry, and the ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Anti-Corruption Commission declining to investigate the six people referred to it, Senator Gallagher said there was still work to rebuild the public’s trust in the APS.
“There are many lessons to be learned, and the APS will continue to work to rebuild the trust of the Australian people to ensure this shameful chapter is never repeated,” she said.
