Anti-Corruption Boss Stays Put After Robodebt ‘Mistake’

An anti-corruption watchdog boss has apologised but refuses to resign after being found to have engaged in misconduct over the robodebt scandal.
A report in October found National Anti-Corruption Commissioner Paul Brereton hadn’t adequately excused himself from a decision not to investigate six referrals from the robodebt royal commission over the illegal scheme.
“I’ve accepted that viewed through the lens of the legal notion of apprehended bias I’ve been found to have made a mistake for which I’ve taken sole responsibility,” the commissioner told a National Public Sector Governance Forum in Adelaide on Nov. 15.
“Given the need to ensure that there’s public confidence in the process, we decided that the original decision should be reconsidered by an eminent, independent person, and in this way, the mistake will be rectified.
“If we recognise that mistakes will happen, accept responsibility for them and put things right, rather than just seeking a scapegoat, we will do a lot to improve culture in the public service. And ironically, a year later, I find myself in that very situation.”
The annual report for the Inspector of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), which provides oversight of the federal body, revealed almost 90 percent of all complaints received were about the decision not to investigate the robodebt referrals.
The commission received more than 1,300 complaints in its first year of operation.
In October, NACC inspector Gail Furness announced Brereton had engaged in misconduct after failing to recuse himself from the investigation after a conflict of interest.
Brereton said the “stinging finding” of misconduct followed as any mistake of fact or law fell within the definition and hit out at vitriolic criticism of his performance
“Some have suggested that I should resign. Others have gone further,” he said.
“One commentator even posted that it was revolver in the library time for me, which was liked by another 1700, and I’m afraid I didn’t find it particularly funny.”
Integrity advocates at the time said Brereton must reconsider his position.
The annual report found many of the complaints received about the robodebt decision said the commission’s decision “disregarded, disrespected or misunderstood the royal commissioner’s referral.”
Between 2016 and 2019, the former coalition government’s robodebt scheme recovered more than $750 million (US$484.9 million) from almost 400,000 people.
Many welfare recipients were falsely accused of owing the government money and robodebt was linked to several suicides.
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