2020-10-13
The Minister for Government Services Stuart Robert has failed to comply with Senate resolutions that he provide documents relating to robodebt legal advice.
"The Minister’s claims of public interest immunity in regards to the Centrelink Income Compliance Program legal advice and an Executive Minute are not acceptable", Senator Rachel Siewert said.
Given the significant and ongoing harm this program has inflicted on people in our community, the public most certainly have a right to know what has happened with this program. Clearly the Government knows what approach it took to obtaining legal advice and should let the community know about this.
The Government cannot just keep hiding behind claims of public interest immunity.
It is quite obviously in the public interest for the Commonwealth Government to be transparent about the legal advice in relation to the Income Compliance Program.
The requested information is vital evidence for the inquiry into the Centrelink Compliance Program as it goes to the legal foundation of the program and how it has operated.
I do not accept this obfuscation and attempt to hide behind public interest immunity when it’s clear that the public have a right to know.
The Committee will continue to pursue this matter.
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