Robodebt Royal Commission - Exposing a Travesty

[Jerry_Atrick]

We all know that the Robodebt Royal Commission is on. But I wonder how many people take the time to really delve into what the Royal Commission is exposing? I did a search of The Age for Robodebt Royal Commission, and there were few articles, and the treatment seemed superficial. TV and Radio (possibly with the exception of the ABC) have the real time to put into it, and even if they did a current affairs show on it, it would be sensationalised, and for the privately owned media, undoubtedly biased. Even searching Crikey for Robodebt didn't seem to show up much about the RC, itself. So, my go tos for Aussie political news and analysis are a few on Youtube; some with their own websites. Michael West is the obvious ones, and you will have seen others I have posted here. 

 

I have been following the inquiry with a sort of nerdy interest. No, I don't watch all 36+ hours a week on it - oh but for having the time to do it. I watch a particular youtuber who condenses the week to almost a couple of hours of salient evidence.. and I have to say, the evidence and contempt many of the government witnesses shows is, well, contemptible. But it unearths one of the real hidden travesties.. and that is, the public servants - the high paid executives - generally care nought for the wellbeing of their fellow Australians - you know - the ones that pay their bills. And I don't mean in simple deference - I mean callous disregard of their obligations. 

 

For some reason, the third week, of which this video is about, really shone a light more than simple dereliction of duty. I was completely riled. These are not the low-paid coal face.. these are very well recompensed executives and senior management that earn salaries not too far from their private enterprise counterparts (OK, they don't get the big bonuses - or, at least I hope they don't). 

 

I urge you to watch the whole video. However, for a taste of the utter contempt and incompetence, scroll to the 1 hour mark of the video. Watch the evidence of Kathryn Campbell, who was (is?) the head of the DHS; effectively, the CEO. Just watch her testimony (and then tell me any ICAC should not have public hearings, at the same time). To be quite frank, it is fokkering unbelievable that any organisation could have someone like that heading it. But our public service does. If you watch the whole video, the witnesses are unbelievable. They make private sector management seem caring and sharing charity workers. This is the travesty. 

 

Yes, we know it is the case, but for some reason, the witnesses in this week's testimony drives home just how bad and how broken it all is. Suck up to some pollie rather than meet your obligations of those that really employ you.. 

 

But, for some light-hearted entertainment, scroll to 54:25 to watch SFM's lawyer, who, IMHO, is a weaselly knob, try to get cabinet papers made public after how many years SFM ensured their secrecy. Just watch how the Commissioner deals with him.. She can only be said to have the patience of a saint. 

 

There is some good, though.. If you scroll to 1:11:45, there is a witness who did sarand up to the illegality of it. What also was stark was the quality of his memory, where he could remember the significant meetings and events, whereas those who were complicity collectively seem to have very poor memories. 

 

This is, so far, a very good expose of the travesty wreaked on us every day, and why pollies, and now public servants, should be held personally responsible when the intentionally or recklessly break the law in discharge of their duties, or perform in such a way it would materially result in unfair outcomes to the affected people. 

And they have the gall to call the welfare recipients clients. If private sector acted like this to their clients, the courts would be clogged for years.

 

 

[old man emu]

And they called Yes, Minister a comedy. In fact it was a documentary.

 

45 minutes ago, Jerry_Atrick said:

But it unearths one of the real hidden travesties.. and that is, the public servants - the high paid executives - generally care nought for the wellbeing of their fellow Australians

That institutionalised culture would explain the difficulties we have with CASA. As Pliny the Much Younger was wanot to say, "Non servi, sed servi domini".

[spacesailor]

It will Not Google !.

'' non servised servi domini ''

serviced.

spacesailor

[old man emu]

9 hours ago, old man emu said:

"Non servi, sed servi domini".

Not servants, but servant masters.

 

Suggesting that they should be our servants, but have made us their servants.

[rgmwa]

Looking forward to the next episode.  Luckily not all public servants are the same, but there are obviously also a lot of Yes Minister types in influential places. I wonder if Kathryn Campbell will lose her AO over this?

[onetrack]

I'm not only thoroughly sick of these PS "fat cats" displaying non-existent management skills - all the while they draw salaries on a par with the PM - but the number of them now being charged with rorting the taxpayers with constant fraudulent activities, is breathtaking. The Govts should double the jail terms for these utter scumbags.

 

https://www.ccc.wa.gov.au/media/news-archives/overview-serious-misconduct-wa-public-sector-5

 

https://www.counterfraud.gov.au/case-studies/senior-public-servant-involved-australias-largest-public-sector-fraud

 

https://www.news.com.au/national/western-australia/public-servant-jailed-for-stealing-27m-from-taxpayers-to-buy-luxury-home-and-racehorses/news-story/2ec25f90d4bebad9bf3dce657187170b

 

 

 

[rgmwa]

I worked with Fullerton once at Charles Gairdner Hospital. He was the hospital’s project manager for a job I was working on as part of a multi-disciplinary team. He used to sit in on our design meetings. He was a smug know-it-all type and never short of something to say. I’m not surprised he was caught rorting the system. Turns out he wasn’t that smart after all.

[Jerry_Atrick]

14 hours ago, old man emu said:

And they called Yes, Minister a comedy. In fact it was a documentary.

Indeed it is..

 

3 hours ago, rgmwa said:

I wonder if Kathryn Campbell will lose her AO over this?

Hopefuilly she will, and there was another AO on the witness box almost as bad. If they don't lose them, it makes a mockery of the award.

 

 

2 hours ago, onetrack said:

The Govts should double the jail terms for these utter scumbags.

Agree, as they are in positions of power and opacity - but one must also wonder whether the auditor general's office is asleep at the wheel, too..

 

My call for personal liability, though is not just based on corruption- Robodebt cannot be considered corruption in the formal sense - no one seems to have been getting a backhander (at least in the evidence tendered so far); it was just pursuing an ideology in this case. My call is for personal liability is basically intentional or reckless execution of duties and obligations; negligent is usually merely incompetence. I think if they brought in real personal liability in these cases, the number of times these would happen would fall significantly.

 

Of course, in this, a fair press council with teeth would not hurt, either

[Bruce Tuncks]

I agree with Jerry in that the system needs accountability. Some way of getting remuneration tied to doing the right thing. Alas, what we have at the moment is the requirement to please those above you.

When I had a job, in a previous life, I made the big mistake of thinking that the taxpayer was paying me to teach the kids useful stuff. I held in contempt this rival guy who gave the kids scant attention and spent his time pleasing the big boss.

Well this other guy sure got the promotions!

[facthunter]

I was in the same game and inspection time was just a normal teaching day for ME and the kids I had that day. I gave unjustified credit to the Inspectors ability to see through "staged" events But NO.   Sucking Up works.   Most headmasters have no GUTS at all.   Nev

[old man emu]

1 hour ago, Bruce Tuncks said:

who gave... scant attention (to what employed to do) and spent his time pleasing the big boss.

Same for the Police. That's why I retired a Constable and not a Commissioned Officer. 

 

I would hate to attend a conference of Commissioned Police. Imagine the cacophony of them all blowing their own trumpets.

[facthunter]

You need strong lungs (not hot air) to blow a trumpet. It's the People (ambitious and with an agenda) you have to be aware of. IF your skills are considerable you'll get  a bad run from such people, as they see you as a threat but they'll pinch your ideas and take credit for them.  Nev

[Jerry_Atrick]

Here's an interesting plug for twitter (and indirectly, other social media): 

 

[Jerry_Atrick]

Well, it's a belated week 4.. but well worth sitting through.

 

But, if you can't bne bothered, I would urge to to go to 1hr34minutes. Yes, there are dole bludgers, but I am willing to wager that more people on benefits need them than are bludgers....

 

What irks me is that while we can eventually get rid of nutter governments, those execs in the public service are almost untouchable.

 

 

As the ACOSS spokesperson said, how can we, as amongst the worlds welathiest, treat our people this badly.. saame in the UK by they way.

 

People who vite these charlatans in should hang their head in shame. Don't like any of the latenratives - spoil your vote - I have done it. when I couldn't fathom amy of them.

[Old Koreelah]

The lowlifes who inflicted this torture are still walking free. 

[facthunter]

I can never, EVER forgive this rotten conspiracy to GET people by fear and coercion. Guilty till you prove your innocence and obstacles and threats put in your way  when you try to sort if out. Personal details provided to the Press. NASTY and ILLEGAL and they KNEW it. . There's NO justice if they can just walk away. Nev

[nomadpete]

I know there are nice, honorable people working in "public service". I have met enough to know that they do exist.

 

However, this royal commission has confirmed my overall cynical view of mission statements compared to the realities of bureacracy.

 

Jerry, you have turned me from being a grumpy old man, into an angry old man. Now I'm opening a bottle of rough red that I was saving for an occassion like this.

[Jerry_Atrick]

My last post was after a couple of glasses of red stuff.

 

It is time to introduce into the federal and all state constitutions that politicians and senior public servants that act recklessly or wilfully in contempt of their "customers" ; or illegally in the discharge of their duties will be held personally responsible up to and including a criminal conviction with a sentence of up to 20 years jail; stripping of all titles, honours, and awards; stripping of personal super/pensions and all benefits accrued as a result of their time in public office; and having to pay compensation to their victims. The argument it would deter quality people from applying ius a furphy; unless you think previous government, and no doubt some in the current government yet to be found out are the quality of people you want running the country.

 

The mid-level public servant was spot on - what they were doing was committing theft (or attempted theft or fraud); attempting to obtain money by deception. It is a tiotal disgrace.  We needc more people like her in office.

 

 

[facthunter]

Demanding money with MENACES and they were YOUR Government  and should not be people you are afraid of.. Creepy.  Nev

[Jerry_Atrick]

And of course, the broken social contract. Just think the next time you pay tax or GST on something, it is patying their way. Thakfully, it is a better government today - still, looking a tthe ASIC bungling (some Tassie conman with a self-appointed French name allowed to act as a director despite being a bankrupt and reports of his nefarious activities. They havbe AI that dismisses criminal complaints. That is value for all that GST, corporate, and PAYG tax paid: https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/property-poultry-and-a-posh-address-notorious-fraudster-leaves-trail-of-misery-20230310-p5cr53.html

 

[onetrack]

With a name like that Froggy one he dreamt up, you'd have to be on full alert, the instant he mouthed it.

[spacesailor]

NOW , WE the poor , are to be hit with higher taxes AGAIN !

while the top super rich get away with no penalties .

AGAIN

spacesailor

[Jerry_Atrick]

Here is a synopsis of week 5 of the Robodebt. One thing I notice on this, and I am guessing the YT'er is promulgating phrases used elsewhere, in the context of the debts raised against welfare recipients, as "wiping the debt." I think we all know what it means, byut the correct phrase should be somethign akin to "wiping the demand for an illegally and falsely raised debt." It is subtle, but the difference is massive; the former accepts there was a debt or it was legal, the latter highlights it was the withdrawal of an illegaly request to pay money.

 

It's long, but cuts out almost 29 hours of testimony. Well worth watching and then arguing for our new NACC having secret hearings as the norm.

 

And, of course, further evidence pollies and the executive (SES) public servants need to be personally accountable when they wilfully or recklessly act like this.

 

 

[nomadpete]

Thanks again for the executive summary updates Jerry. I no longer have the patience to take in the unexpurgated trail of lies and unethics.

 

Unfortunately stuff such as Robodebt (and it's ongoing trail of unaccountability) are making me feel angry and helpless all at the same time. To me it looks like there is no sign of anybody likely to be held accountable - it looks like a lot of meaningless hand-wringing.

 

I do write emails to MPs but most respond with standardised BS that is an insult to me. And that only leaves me more angry and helpless than ever.

[Jerry_Atrick]

nomadpete - you're excused ( 🙂 ). My advice with respect to your letters to MPs is to cc the oppo MP who is the shadow minister, and of course forward any responses. And add the Greens and indies to that cc list.

 

Here is week 6. I recommend watching it all the way through. Tudge, Portter, and then some high level "public servants", and a PWC partner to boot.

 

 

 

Still think NACC hearings should normally be held  in private?

 

 

Edited June 11, 2023 by Jerry_Atrick