Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme: findings and what happened next
The Australian government's automated income compliance programme, which used income averaging to raise welfare debts.
- Country
- Australia
- Type
- royal commission
- Established
- 18 August 2022
- Chaired by
- Catherine Holmes AC SC
- Report published
- 7 July 2023
- Recommendations
- 56
Implementation, as of 10 March 2026The government accepted all 56 recommendations in full or in principle in November 2023 and says implementation is under way.
What the inquiry found
- The royal commission described the scheme as "a crude and cruel mechanism, neither fair nor legal."2,1
- The royal commission found that senior officials and government lawyers were aware of concerns about the scheme's legality and that legal advice stayed in draft.2
- The royal commission stated that "elements of the tort of misfeasance in public office appear to exist."2
- A sealed chapter, not part of the public report, recommended referring individuals for possible civil or criminal action.2
Key recommendations
- The government response states that the royal commission made 56 recommendations and one closing observation, which is why a total of 57 is sometimes reported. The closing observation concerned Cabinet confidentiality under freedom of information law.5
- The government accepted or accepted in principle all 56 recommendations, and said it did not consider that section 34 of the FOI Act should be repealed.5,3,4
What happened next
- A class action filed in 2019 was settled in June 2021 for 112 million Australian dollars, according to reporting on the report.2
- The government released its response, accepting or accepting in principle all 56 recommendations.5,4
- The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet response page, dated 10 March 2026, states that all 56 recommendations were accepted or accepted in principle.3
- On tabling its response, the government announced 3,000 extra Services Australia staff, an advisory board for Services Australia and 16 Australian Public Service Code of Conduct investigations.4
Read the report: robodebt.royalcommission.gov.au/
Sources
- Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme, Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme (7 July 2023)
- JURIST, Australia Robodebt royal commission hands down findings, recommends referrals for prosecution (8 July 2023)
- Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Government response to the Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme (10 March 2026)
- Department of Social Services ministers, Government response to the Robodebt Royal Commission, media conference transcript
- Australian Government (Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet), Government response to the Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme (November 2023)