The Robodebt Royal Commission

[Not Important]

 

[CD Xbow]

I can assure you there will be no reflection by the media involved in their role. Murdochs' mob can't even blame the libs in their 'scathing' editorial, they put all the blame on the public servants, it's as if the ministers had nothing to do with it and are themselves victims. It just sick. I'm not expecting the creeps at the current affair to do a mea culpa either, nor Neil Mitchel or any other of the cheer leading media who get off on the politics of cruelty. I love that Catherine Holmes has called out both Scomo and Roberts lies. Even now they still lie about it and show no contrition.

I'd love to see the sealed section. Older folks like myself may have a chuckle about the phrase 'sealed section' because it's what Cleo magazine had in the 70's - I'm sure both 'sealed sections' are full of dicks.

 

[Sun Ra]

I wonder if Scummo gets charged with perjury after being found lying while giving evidence to the RC after swearing on the Bible ?

 

[CD Xbow]

I better give credit to the IA article I lifted it from

Morrison, Porter, Tudge: The Robodebt rogues gallery

If there was an instance of a hideous failing in government policy and its cowardly implementation by the public service, Australia’s vicious Robodebt scheme is one of them.

independentaustralia.net

They had the one below previously, which was pretty good, too. It reminds us these very rich and entitled politicians, deliberately developed a scheme which was both cruel, illegal and wrong, that stole money from poor struggling folk causing enormous distress and even deaths. All of those involved have proven themselves utterly incompetent and in other case worse such as telling outright lies. They must be held accountable. I hope there are criminal and civil actions against the pollies and the public servants. It is also a reminder that it is within bureaucracies you will see the worst horrors done by humans to other humans, partly because they can do it at an industrial scale.

 

[Crankyhawk]

I recall it was a couple of citizen journalists who maintained reporting of the proceedings (even donuts from the abc)

 

[FredLeDeux]

I wonder if Scummo gets charged with perjury after being found lying while giving evidence to the RC after swearing on the Bible ?

It's interesting that Tudge and Roberts say they've received no notice of referral for possible prosecution, but Scummo has refused to answer the question.

 

[nut]

I recall it was a couple of citizen journalists who maintained reporting of the proceedings (even donuts from the abc)

This channel is excellent ….

 

[Hornberger]

I wonder if Scummo gets charged with perjury after being found lying while giving evidence to the RC after swearing on the Bible ?

I think that would be very unlikely. What the RC found that was untrue relates to Morrison state of mind and beliefs when he signed the executive minute. That is very hard to prove beyond a reasonable doubt.

 

[Sun Ra]

I think that would be very unlikely. What the RC found that was untrue relates to Morrison state of mind and beliefs when he signed the executive minute. That is very hard to prove beyond a reasonable doubt.

They found his evidence that income averaging being a long standing practice for debt calculation in the department to be BS.

 

[Home Alone]

For Scott to admit to a flaw in his actions or character; it would need to be signed by God, issued in triplicate, and witnessed by both God's parents!

On SM-A515F using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Hornberger]

They found his evidence that income averaging being a long standing practice for debt calculation in the department to be BS.

The statement was BS, but too prove perjury you need to prove that he knew the statement was BS and that he had that knowledge in 2017. This is very difficult thing to do.

 

[Festerz]

The AFP is a Federal organisation in desperate need of an independent review, especially given what appears to be their political entanglement in matters including the Bruce Lerhmann criminal trial and the RoboDebt saga...

 

[NSWCROW]

Another abbott legacy

 

[QuietB]

It's interesting that Tudge and Roberts say they've received no notice of referral for possible prosecution, but Scummo has refused to answer the question.

We can dream

 

[Gralin]

Another abbott legacy

Go back to 2011 and Plibersek and Shorten were talking about new software being developed to automate debt collecting.

Labor helped create the system that the libs went on to use.

Right now Labor is trying to recover $5billion in welfare debts while pontificating about how bad the coalition program was.

This legacy is older than Abbott and it's ongoing

 

[nut]

An economic system that was designed to keep the unemployment level high, to keep wages down … and then they blamed the unemployed for being unemployed.

Blame the immigrants and the poor….. the Conservatives go to everytime.

 

[NSWCROW]

Go back to 2011 and Plibersek and Shorten were talking about new software being developed to automate debt collecting.

Labor helped create the system that the libs went on to use.

Right now Labor is trying to recover $5billion in welfare debts while pontificating about how bad the coalition program was.

This legacy is older than Abbott and it's ongoing

You forgot the part where abbott took a machete to staffing numbers uncannily enough....

 

[QuietB]

Go back to 2011 and Plibersek and Shorten were talking about new software being developed to automate debt collecting.

Labor helped create the system that the libs went on to use.

Right now Labor is trying to recover $5billion in welfare debts while pontificating about how bad the coalition program was.

This legacy is older than Abbott and it's ongoing

Income averaging has been used to identify potetial fraud including under Labor but that was then investigated.

Morrison changed that to income averaging being used to automatically generate debts and it was up to the accused to prove they were innocent.

That is very different. And it goes against innocent until proven guilty which underpins the entire legal system in Australia.

Two very important things to also acknowledge are;

1/ Morrison knew it was illegal. But he did it anyway.
2/ Morrison could have made it legal with legislative change but he chose not to because that was politically unpalatable.

Democracy matters

 

[Ballarat Bob]

Flicking the debts off to third party debt collectors isn't going to work. If people who owe the government are on welfare it's obvious they can't repay any substantial amount. Keep the debts in-house even if you have to set up a seperate department to do it (will be far cheaper than robodebt) and manage it from within.
The prime focus about welfare under the coalition is demonizing recipients rather than looking at welfare as the safety net it was designed as. The last time I heard I think the average time anyone was on Newstart/Jobseeker was 12-13 weeks which means most of the applicants are in between jobs just needing a bit of cash in the meantime to tide them over. Not hordes of bludgers living the life on $270 bucks a week , it's actually pretty difficult to stay long term unemployed you would expend less energy applying for and getting a job.
If welfare recipients do have substantial debts the main focus of social services should be getting the individual into some sort of employment so they can address their debts and getting them off welfare. Not bashing them over the head saying pay or else.
If there is genuinely $5 billion outstanding I would seriously question the system that allows this to happen and review and make changes wherever possible.

 

[Gralin]

You forgot the part where abbott took a machete to staffing numbers uncannily enough....

I just think they're all campaigners.

Income averaging has been used to identify potetial fraud including under Labor but that was then investigated.

Morrison changed that to income averaging being used to automatically generate debts and it was up to the accused to prove they were innocent.

That is very different. And it goes against innocent until proven guilty which underpins the entire legal system in Australia.

Two very important things to also acknowledge are;

1/ Morrison knew it was illegal. But he did it anyway.
2/ Morrison could have made it legal with legislative change but he chose not to because that was politically unpalatable.

Democracy matters

I don't think the labor debt collecting isn't illegal is a real good defence.

We've got people in poverty being chased for money they can't pay

Don't know if you've ever dealt with government debt collecting but it's all guilty even if you can prove you're innocent.

The difference with robodebt is there wasn't a person telling you they didn't care and to pay up.

It's all evil shit but apparently it's only suicide from automated systems that are bad.

 

[NSWCROW]

I just think they're all campaigners.

I'm a country member !!!

 

[adogsfan5]

Scott Morrison rejects he misled government over Robodebt

Former Prime Minister Scott Morrison has "rejected completely" findings that he misled cabinet on the legality of the Robodebt scheme.

thenewdaily.com.au

How to be a politician - deny everything.

 

[E Shed]

Morrison and the rest of the pond scum will no doubt retire from parliament with fat lifetime pensions into lucrative consulting roles while"

The economic cost​

The Robodebt scheme was originally envisaged to save taxpayers $1.7 billion, but a class action lawsuit from recipients hounded for money launched in 2019 resulted in a $1.8 billion payout.

All in all, the scheme cost the Commonwealth over $500 million, excluding the class action lawsuit payout, with estimated total costs of $941,391 million and savings of $406,196 million.

During the Robodebt Royal Commission, taxpayers funded more than $2.5 million in legal costs for eight Coalition ministers, including $477,528 on Mr Morrison’s and $795,053 for Mr Porter’s legal fees.

But somehow these kind of absurd expenditures don't raise eyebrows with conservative media outlets who are supposedly concerned with saving taxpayers money from welfare and other unnecessary expenditure.

Can you imagine how much a complete oxygen thief like Morrison alone has cost taxpayers for his time sucking on the public teat?

Not just with his own salary and expenses but how much he's cost with his incompetent governance, obsessive secrecy paying for lawyers and consultants to hide information from the public, largesse in handing out grants, consultancy work to his backers & to pork barrel for his reelection.
The cost of this charlatans appalling career would run into billions for taxpayers.

And how many human lives this good Christian has ruined with his harsh and punitive policies across several portfolios?

And what did he stand for in the end? The right for religious people to be bigots.

He is an utter disgrace.

 

[SBD Gonzalez]

Damning.

Cruelty is not an accident of modern politics, it’s a feature

Too many politicians are seeking to fight a populist battle against an easily vilified enemy.

www.smh.com.au

 

[Rotayjay]

Damning.

Cruelty is not an accident of modern politics, it’s a feature

Too many politicians are seeking to fight a populist battle against an easily vilified enemy.

www.smh.com.au

Robodebt was a symptom of a broad, and as yet uncured, disease.