Robodebt Royal Commission

The Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme delivered its report to the Australian Government on 7 July 2023.

The Royal Commission was established on 18 August 2022 to inquire into the establishment, design and implementation of the debt assessment and recovery scheme known as Robodebt, including the use of third-party debt collectors, concerns raised following the implementation of the scheme, and the intended or actual outcomes of the scheme.

The report includes 57 recommendations. Chapter 23 of the report makes 8 specific recommendations in relation to improving the APS.

At the time of writing (October 2023), the Australian Government is considering its response.

The Royal Commission report notes that changes to the APS are already underway as part of the Australian Government’s APS reform agenda. These changes include amendments to the Public Service Act 1999, introduced into Parliament on 14 June 2023, to:

  • add Stewardship as an APS Value, recognising that the APS builds its capability and institutional knowledge, and supports the public interest now and into the future, by understanding the long-term impacts of what it does
  • mandate that capability reviews be undertaken of public service agencies to build organisational capacity and accountability
  • strengthen the provision prohibiting ministers from giving direction on employment matters.

The APS Integrity Taskforce, established in February 2023, submitted its findings to Secretaries Board on 13 September 2023. The Royal Commission report notes that the Taskforce’s terms of reference were directed at, in part, framing a comprehensive response to the themes emerging from Royal Commission.

The Australian Public Service Commission is inquiring into 16 alleged breaches of the Code of Conduct by APS employees, former APS employees and agency heads arising from the Royal Commission.

See also

Operating context – APS Reform, State of the Service Report 2022–23.

Leadership – Frank, honest and evidence-based advice, State of the Service Report 2022–23.

Integrity – APS Integrity Taskforce, State of the Service Report 2022–23.

Appendix 5 – Public inquiries into the APS and APS agencies, State of the Service Report 2022–23.

Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme (n.d) https://robodebt.royalcommission.gov.au/, accessed 23 October 2023.

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