Names in secret Robodebt report to be unsealed
Written by admin on November 7, 2024
The names of the six individuals who a royal commission recommended face criminal and civil prosecution are one step closer to being publicly released.
Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus confirmed on Thursday the government would propose to publish the sealed section which was redacted from the final report of the Robodebt Royal Commission, released on July 2023.
Mr Dreyfus said the government had intended to release the sealed chapter as early as this week however was delayed after the National Anti-Corruption Commission recommended it would review its decision not to investigate the six individuals which were named in the chapter.
“With civil and criminal matters largely complete, the government had planned to table the additional chapter in the House of Representatives in the current sitting week,” Mr Dreyfus said.
“Last week the Inspector of the National Anti-Corruption Commission recommended that the NACC appoint an appropriate person to remake the decision on whether to investigate six people named in the confidential additional chapter, and the NACC accepted the recommendation.
“The government will now seek advice from the NACC decision maker, once appointed, on whether the tabling of the confidential additional chapter would prejudice any current or future decision of the NACC.”
To date the government has maintained it was “still considering” the chapter’s release.
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Last week the NACC said the anti-corruption watchdog would reconsider its controversial decision not to commence investigations against the individuals named in the report after it was found commissioner Paul Brereton didn’t properly manage a conflict of interest he had previously declared.
While there were no claims of intentional wrongdoing or bias, the critical report found Mr Brereton should have completely removed himself from the investigation.
Following the report, the commission said it would appoint a separate independent person to redetermine whether to conduct further investigations into the six individuals.
