An Albanese Labor Government will expose the truth of the Morrison Government’s illegal Robodebt scheme, return integrity to the public service, and ensure a disaster like this never happens again. 
 
If elected, Labor will establish a Royal Commission into Robodebt by the end of this year. Our consultation will begin after the election.
 
An Albanese Labor Government would ask a Royal Commission to examine and report on the Robodebt scheme, consistent with these key objectives which will be reflected in the Terms of Reference:

1. To establish who was responsible for establishing Robodebt scheme.
2. To establish what advice, and what process or processes, informed the design and implementation of the Robodebt scheme.
3. To investigate the handling of complaints about the Robodebt scheme – including in relation to the scheme’s legality –by Services Australia, the Department of Human Services, other relevant Commonwealth agencies and Ministers. 
4. To determine how much the implementation, suspension and wind-back of the Robodebt scheme cost taxpayers.
5. To investigate the harm caused to law-abiding Australians by the Robodebt scheme
6. To investigate the use of third-party debt collectors under the Robodebt scheme.

 
Our consultation after the election will inform the Terms of Reference for the Royal Commission.
 
The Morrison Government has consistently denied, obstructed and covered-up the origins of the Robodebt scandal and refused to take responsibility. 
 
It is only when Labor organised a class action that a $1.8 billion settlement was made to repay victims and keep ministers out of the witness box. 
 
It is vital that Robodebt victims and the broader Australian public know the truth of the Robodebt disaster. 
 
We need to learn the truth of Robodebt’s origins so that such an atrocity can never again be perpetrated by an Australian Government against its citizens. 
 
The illegal and immoral Robodebt scheme caused untold carnage in the Australian community - stress, anxiety, financial destitution and even suicide. 
 

Comments attributable to Anthony Albanese: 
“Robodebt was a human tragedy, wrought by this government. Against all evidence, and all the outcry, the government insisted on using algorithms instead of people to pursue debt recovery against Australians who in many cases had no debt to pay. It caused untold misery. Only an Albanese Labor Government will find out the truth.” 
 

Comments attributable to Bill Shorten:
“We still do not know how this reckless scheme was unleashed. We do not know whether poor legal advice was given or whether legal advice was simply never sought. We do not know if public servants were inappropriately heavied and politicised. And without knowing the true origins we do not know what safeguards could be put in place to prevent a repeat.”