The national anti-corruption watchdog has backflipped on its decision not to pursue investigation referrals from the robo-debt royal commission, announcing on Tuesday that six people will face probes over their involvement in the illegal welfare debt scheme.

The National Anti-Corruption Commission received referrals about six public officials in a sealed section of the royal commission’s scathing final report – setting up what could have been the watchdog’s first high-profile public inquiry since it was established in July 2023.