Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Luke Henriques-Gomes Social affairs and inequality editor

UNCOVERED: Federal watchdog refuses to say if it will cooperate with robodebt royal commission | History Defined

A royal commission into the robodebt scheme has heard that DHS officials were given the chance to ‘mark up’ a draft version of ombudsman’s report
A royal commission into the robodebt scheme has heard that DHS officials were given the chance to ‘mark up’ a draft version of ombudsman’s report Photograph: Julian Smith/AAP

A royal commission may be unable to fully scrutinise the commonwealth ombudsman’s crucial role in the robodebt saga unless the watchdog voluntarily agrees to cooperate.

The ombudsman’s actions were brought into focus on Monday when the inquiry heard Department of Human Services (DHS) legal branch official Michael Robinson believed the department had the chance to “effectively co-write” a key report the watchdog was preparing on the robodebt scheme.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.