Rick, Thanks for all your work, passion and clarity. Hugs to all who have been hurt / gutted by the Gov, Legal System and NACC on this massive betrayal of trust.
Thank you, Rick, for doing such thorough work on this. It must be sickening for you, not to mention those who were caught up in robodebt, to have nacc be so gutless!
I am just so disillusioned, I thought things would get better.
Queensland Supreme Court Catherine Holmes refers six unnamed people to the NACC.
Here is the NACC definition of corrupt conduct:
*they are a public official and they breach public trust
*they are a public official and they abuse their office as a public official
*they are a public official or former public official and they misuse information they have gained in their capacity as a public official
*they do something that adversely affects a public official’s honest or impartial exercise of powers or performance of official duties. (Any person can engage in this type of corrupt conduct, even if they are not a public official themselves.)
The people who gave answers in the Royal Commission:
"Kathryn Campbell (no longer an employee of the APS)
Annette Musolino, the former chief counsel of DHS, is no longer an employee of the public service.
Serena Wilson
Mark Withnell
Scott Morrison
Stuart Robert
Alan Tudge
All that truth, time and money and NOTHING HAPPENS.
You bet I'm angry.
I won't be happy until the whole "Centrelink" stink is gone, and our government runs a Find Yourself Purpose system with a Universal Basic Income and "Job Seeker" becomes assistance to all-comers on living their best life (along with one fully funded system of free education at the highest standard, for all).
I guess environmental collapse will happen first, so I might as well keep my opinions to myself.
An excellent & disturbing read. Your words & sentiments, Rick, are powerful. The anger & frustration with the NACC is something I suspect many of us are feeling.
When I sympathize, it is with our entire society because we are rendered powerless in the face of these highly politicised post democratic organisations. No one is behind bars from the Royal Commission into Aged Care either and that does my head in. The one thing I do know is that RoboDebt has been loudly declared morally wrong, unlawful and visciously cruel. The nation knows now.
How the NACC has responded on Robodebt reflects how this iteration of Labor has performed thus far. Prevarication rather than prosecution. Performance (especially when Parliament sits) over substance. Weakness where strength is needed ( Gaza). Grovelling instead of assertiveness (AUKUS aka UFUCDUS). Albanese has never been a vocal champion for the Robodebt survivors. For me, his attitude is 'this is taking energy away from what I want to achieve' and that has never included real accountability for the Robodebt ministers or senior public servants. It is pissweak and gives further license to bullies like Morrison now running amok on the world stage. The public interest is not served by a knackerless NACC. It serves politicians only.
And for those of us robodebted? Catharine Holmes showed us what Justice could and should be. Champions like yourself, Rick & Christopher Knaus & others kept hope alive for that Justice. I don't imagine any of you backing down now. My anger at Morrison & his ilk is now transferred to the cowardly custard coloured government of Anthony Albanese. Now it is a cold anger that hopefully will see revenge at the ballot box when we get minority government. Full disclosure: my first vote was for Gough's government. Can anyone imagine Gough or Lionel Murphy allowing this travesty? So 50 years a Labor voter. That ended with AUKUS & Albanese's first Budget when he baulked at raising the rate.
Well said. A 'custard coloured government' is a perfect description! I too will not vote labor ever again until they find either a new leader, or some balls, or both. Unfortunately, our RW electorate of O'Connor is fixed for life. And I despair that government doesn't represent the people any more. Please find me a desert island where community rules.
I live in Maranoa. The Senate is what I concentrate on. The day Maranoa voted anything but National is the day the planet no longer exists. Last Senate election the Legalise Cannabis mob saw off the odious Amanda Stoker and came very close to seeing off Pauline Hanson. I voted strategically and will do so again always staying on the progressive side of politics. Greens then Legalise Cannabis with Labor receiving my third Senate preference.
Yes it would seem that Labor is more concerned with being subservient to Murdoch media, US hegemony, the industrial military complex, big oil and gas, and being an inoffensive liberal-lite making surpluses, than throttling corruption, providing fair and honest justice, and caring for the working and the non-working poor.
I’ll never vote for conservative LNP, but now I’m reconsidering my next vote for Labor.
And as long as tge LNP keeps putting up dud leaders like Morrison and Dutton, Labor will never do its utmost. I thought receiving the lowest primary vote and being away that together with the progressive vote, the country was crying out for meaningful Societal change. But no we have the limp lettuce Labor iteration.
Thank you. Too angry for words. As there is now no further action being taken by the appropriate body, can the original Royal Commission sealed section now be made public?
Paul Brereton is retired Army. I've spent years working alongside Defence officers - mainly Army - and while they are, by and large, lovely people, they actually often don't have much time for the unemployed. Not surprising, when most have been housed, fed, clothed and provided with free quality comprehensive health care since the age of 18. Why would he have an inkling of what it would be like to queue up at Centrelink, or have no idea where this month's rent is coming from? Which leaves him with no understanding of the devastation of receiving a fraudulent debt that you have no way of paying.
My other thought is that, because I successfully fought both my Robodebts, I was never eligible for compensation, because that was solely based on refunding the extorted money; apparently, the unemployed don't have feelings, so there was no provision for a payment to compensate for the stress and abuse, and the fact that hundreds of thousands of us are, in fact, victims of crime committed by the Federal Government.
I'm mostly okay with that, but that was always on the premise that Heads Would Roll. That we would see punishment that would mean that no one would contemplate doing anything like it again. Ha! We can't even get Jobseeker anywhere near a survival payment, so I don't know why I thought the Robodebt process would even slightly dilute the cruelty.
Thanks Rick, I don't know what we would do without you.
Rick, your article sets out clearly the problems with this whole sordid mess. I am so angry but apart from emails to the pollies, what can we do? I certainly won't be voting for either of the major parties. Thank you so much for all your hard work and emotional input. I feel for all the victims of Robodebt. 😔😔😔
Why behave ethically when corrupt behaviour by politicians and senior public servants is not punished? I had hope a modicum of better legislation when Labor was elected, instead we have the NACC that seems to have no real purpose or power. Of course we will have more of the same as the crackdown on the NDIS is put in place. Yes, there is real corruption and poor governance but my guess is there will be future journalists investigating the future failures and clawing back of money from NDIS participants. Where is the strong visionary leadership we need? All we seem to have is small target politicians and bullies…….
I feel for you Rick, I really do. I imagine some very strong language around your house over the last little while. All that work, reporting endless testimonies, hour after hour, making sense for those of us plebs with less knowledge. A real eye opener. And then to pen your book with so much time & effort to be honest & correct. For what? So NAAC can just thumb their noses at you & us the public and more importantly those two brave Mums who were there speaking for their beautiful sons. And all the other Centrelink 'clients' they treated like non-humans. That cocky bloody egotistical [no weren't me-slimy Morrison] & the others with convenient absentee memories. I imagine you're gutted. But if it wasn't for you & others, we'd have never known any of it, and for that I and many others are truly grateful.
You have done an amazing job bringing this to light, and can really understand your frustration. Like everything to do with Australian governments , it is indeed the Lucky country.... for some.
Rick, Thanks for all your work, passion and clarity. Hugs to all who have been hurt / gutted by the Gov, Legal System and NACC on this massive betrayal of trust.
Thank you, Rick, for doing such thorough work on this. It must be sickening for you, not to mention those who were caught up in robodebt, to have nacc be so gutless!
I am just so disillusioned, I thought things would get better.
In summary -
Queensland Supreme Court Catherine Holmes refers six unnamed people to the NACC.
Here is the NACC definition of corrupt conduct:
*they are a public official and they breach public trust
*they are a public official and they abuse their office as a public official
*they are a public official or former public official and they misuse information they have gained in their capacity as a public official
*they do something that adversely affects a public official’s honest or impartial exercise of powers or performance of official duties. (Any person can engage in this type of corrupt conduct, even if they are not a public official themselves.)
The people who gave answers in the Royal Commission:
"Kathryn Campbell (no longer an employee of the APS)
Annette Musolino, the former chief counsel of DHS, is no longer an employee of the public service.
Serena Wilson
Mark Withnell
Scott Morrison
Stuart Robert
Alan Tudge
All that truth, time and money and NOTHING HAPPENS.
You bet I'm angry.
I won't be happy until the whole "Centrelink" stink is gone, and our government runs a Find Yourself Purpose system with a Universal Basic Income and "Job Seeker" becomes assistance to all-comers on living their best life (along with one fully funded system of free education at the highest standard, for all).
I guess environmental collapse will happen first, so I might as well keep my opinions to myself.
I feel it Rick 😭
Look! We can complain - https://www.naccinspector.gov.au/make-complaint
- this link to Ronni Salt's instructions on the twitts
https://x.com/RonniSalt/status/1799364993080844722
An excellent & disturbing read. Your words & sentiments, Rick, are powerful. The anger & frustration with the NACC is something I suspect many of us are feeling.
When I sympathize, it is with our entire society because we are rendered powerless in the face of these highly politicised post democratic organisations. No one is behind bars from the Royal Commission into Aged Care either and that does my head in. The one thing I do know is that RoboDebt has been loudly declared morally wrong, unlawful and visciously cruel. The nation knows now.
How the NACC has responded on Robodebt reflects how this iteration of Labor has performed thus far. Prevarication rather than prosecution. Performance (especially when Parliament sits) over substance. Weakness where strength is needed ( Gaza). Grovelling instead of assertiveness (AUKUS aka UFUCDUS). Albanese has never been a vocal champion for the Robodebt survivors. For me, his attitude is 'this is taking energy away from what I want to achieve' and that has never included real accountability for the Robodebt ministers or senior public servants. It is pissweak and gives further license to bullies like Morrison now running amok on the world stage. The public interest is not served by a knackerless NACC. It serves politicians only.
And for those of us robodebted? Catharine Holmes showed us what Justice could and should be. Champions like yourself, Rick & Christopher Knaus & others kept hope alive for that Justice. I don't imagine any of you backing down now. My anger at Morrison & his ilk is now transferred to the cowardly custard coloured government of Anthony Albanese. Now it is a cold anger that hopefully will see revenge at the ballot box when we get minority government. Full disclosure: my first vote was for Gough's government. Can anyone imagine Gough or Lionel Murphy allowing this travesty? So 50 years a Labor voter. That ended with AUKUS & Albanese's first Budget when he baulked at raising the rate.
Well said. A 'custard coloured government' is a perfect description! I too will not vote labor ever again until they find either a new leader, or some balls, or both. Unfortunately, our RW electorate of O'Connor is fixed for life. And I despair that government doesn't represent the people any more. Please find me a desert island where community rules.
I live in Maranoa. The Senate is what I concentrate on. The day Maranoa voted anything but National is the day the planet no longer exists. Last Senate election the Legalise Cannabis mob saw off the odious Amanda Stoker and came very close to seeing off Pauline Hanson. I voted strategically and will do so again always staying on the progressive side of politics. Greens then Legalise Cannabis with Labor receiving my third Senate preference.
I voted Labor. I will not be voting Labor at the next election.
Yes it would seem that Labor is more concerned with being subservient to Murdoch media, US hegemony, the industrial military complex, big oil and gas, and being an inoffensive liberal-lite making surpluses, than throttling corruption, providing fair and honest justice, and caring for the working and the non-working poor.
I’ll never vote for conservative LNP, but now I’m reconsidering my next vote for Labor.
And as long as tge LNP keeps putting up dud leaders like Morrison and Dutton, Labor will never do its utmost. I thought receiving the lowest primary vote and being away that together with the progressive vote, the country was crying out for meaningful Societal change. But no we have the limp lettuce Labor iteration.
Hey Juda, thanx for your comments, now following you so i don’t miss any expression of your wisdom.
Thank you. Too angry for words. As there is now no further action being taken by the appropriate body, can the original Royal Commission sealed section now be made public?
So, we get the NACC late, and it's not the one we wanted, and now it's refusing to do its fucking job.
I've been enraged about Robodebt for so long. I won't be satisfied until the monsters who were responsible for it are punished.
Thank you for your passion and caring and your talent to rage against injustice. Journalism needs more like you.
Two thoughts -
Paul Brereton is retired Army. I've spent years working alongside Defence officers - mainly Army - and while they are, by and large, lovely people, they actually often don't have much time for the unemployed. Not surprising, when most have been housed, fed, clothed and provided with free quality comprehensive health care since the age of 18. Why would he have an inkling of what it would be like to queue up at Centrelink, or have no idea where this month's rent is coming from? Which leaves him with no understanding of the devastation of receiving a fraudulent debt that you have no way of paying.
My other thought is that, because I successfully fought both my Robodebts, I was never eligible for compensation, because that was solely based on refunding the extorted money; apparently, the unemployed don't have feelings, so there was no provision for a payment to compensate for the stress and abuse, and the fact that hundreds of thousands of us are, in fact, victims of crime committed by the Federal Government.
I'm mostly okay with that, but that was always on the premise that Heads Would Roll. That we would see punishment that would mean that no one would contemplate doing anything like it again. Ha! We can't even get Jobseeker anywhere near a survival payment, so I don't know why I thought the Robodebt process would even slightly dilute the cruelty.
Thanks Rick, I don't know what we would do without you.
Rick, your article sets out clearly the problems with this whole sordid mess. I am so angry but apart from emails to the pollies, what can we do? I certainly won't be voting for either of the major parties. Thank you so much for all your hard work and emotional input. I feel for all the victims of Robodebt. 😔😔😔
Why behave ethically when corrupt behaviour by politicians and senior public servants is not punished? I had hope a modicum of better legislation when Labor was elected, instead we have the NACC that seems to have no real purpose or power. Of course we will have more of the same as the crackdown on the NDIS is put in place. Yes, there is real corruption and poor governance but my guess is there will be future journalists investigating the future failures and clawing back of money from NDIS participants. Where is the strong visionary leadership we need? All we seem to have is small target politicians and bullies…….
I feel for you Rick, I really do. I imagine some very strong language around your house over the last little while. All that work, reporting endless testimonies, hour after hour, making sense for those of us plebs with less knowledge. A real eye opener. And then to pen your book with so much time & effort to be honest & correct. For what? So NAAC can just thumb their noses at you & us the public and more importantly those two brave Mums who were there speaking for their beautiful sons. And all the other Centrelink 'clients' they treated like non-humans. That cocky bloody egotistical [no weren't me-slimy Morrison] & the others with convenient absentee memories. I imagine you're gutted. But if it wasn't for you & others, we'd have never known any of it, and for that I and many others are truly grateful.
I can't improve on your words, but I can summarize them, what you have said is - WTF
You have done an amazing job bringing this to light, and can really understand your frustration. Like everything to do with Australian governments , it is indeed the Lucky country.... for some.
I wanted to add that if The Drum was still going, this would be discussed. I do miss it.