The Community and Public Sector Union is calling on the Government to immediately pause the use of complex automated decision-making in public service agencies until public service-wide rules are put in place.
At a member-only CPSU Town Hall held yesterday, members were asked whether complex automated decision-making (ADM) should be paused until government has developed clear and mandatory safeguards for the public service. The response was an overwhelming yes with 98% voting in favour of the halt.
Members from across the APS including government agencies like: Services Australia; the National Disability Insurance Agency; Department of Health, Disability and Ageing; Department of Veterans' Affairs; and the Australian Taxation Office, said they were particularly concerned where an algorithm can determine a person's access to or level of support with little or no capacity for a human intervention.
They also showed a great concern for the way these tools can harmfully impact the lives of Australian families.
Members highlighted concerns with transparency, with more than a third saying they were unaware if ADM is being used in their agencies. A recent report by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner also highlighted limited disclosure of ADM use and identified gaps in transparency.
The union pointed to Robodebt as an example of what can happen when warnings from frontline workers are ignored, emphasising the need to learn from those mistakes as complex automated decision-making processes are rolled out.
The CPSU said it will continue to advocate for transparency, accountability and common sense in automated decision-making in public services, including the need for stronger protections around AI in the current round of APS service-wide bargaining.
QUOTES ATTRIBUTABLE TO REBECCA FAWCETT, CPSU DEPUTY SECRETARY:
"Public sector workers understand better than anyone the risks of rolling out complex automated decision-making systems without proper safeguards, transparency and accountability.
"The lesson from Robodebt is clear: government must not allow complex automated decision-making to operate ahead of clear rules that protect people, uphold public service values and ensure decisions can be properly explained and challenged.
"When frontline workers are consulted and genuinely listened to, governments make better decisions. Workers can identify practical risks and unintended consequences before they become serious problems for the community.
"With public concerns about the algorithmic decision making in aged care, and a similar assessment tool planned for the NDIS, it is critical that we have clear and mandatory safeguards in place before systems are embedded in ways that could negatively affect the community - Australian families and public sector workers."
