CPSU National Secretary, Melissa Donnelly, has today appeared as a witness at the Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme. Ms Donnelly was joined by former CPSU Deputy National President, Lisa Newman.
During her appearance, Ms Donnelly laid bare the fact that frontline workers in Centrelink raised their concerns with what would come to be known as Robodebt, from the very beginning.
They told senior leadership in the Department and the Coalition Government that the scheme was flawed and would cause harm.
They were repeatedly ignored, and they should not have been.
Robodebt went on to have devastating impacts across the country, including on those on the frontline in Centrelink who were made to enforce it.
The volume of queries and complaints skyrocketed, and staff were under enormous pressure and distressed by the harm they could see the scheme was causing.
We hope the deliberations of the Royal Commission bring accountability for all those whose lives were harmed by the Robodebt scheme
Quotes attributable to CPSU National Secretary, Melissa Donnelly:
"The CPSU has consistently publicly condemned the Robodebt scheme and the subsequent trauma and distress it has inflicted on those it impacted, including those workers who were made to enforce it.
"Frontline workers in Centrelink raised their concerns with the Robodebt scheme from the very beginning and they were ignored by both senior leadership in the Department, and the Coalition Government.
"So much could have been avoided if workers had just been listened to when they spoke up.
"The CPSU hopes that the deliberations of the Royal Commission bring accountability and closure.
"This can never be allowed to happen again."
