Human Services, the department responsible for implementing the robo-debt scheme, withheld key documents flagging the likely unlawfulness of the scheme from an independent watchdog investigating the program, the royal commission has been told.
The commission heard evidence about the role of the Commonwealth Ombudsman, whose 2017 report identified a number of flaws in the scheme, but stopped short of declaring the “income averaging” debt calculation process unlawful.
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Tom Burton has held senior editorial and publishing roles with The Mandarin, The Sydney Morning Herald and as Canberra bureau chief for The Australian Financial Review. He has won three Walkley awards. Connect with Tom on Twitter. Email Tom at tom.burton@afr.com
