Robodebt: corruption watchdog to investigate six people

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Investigations into corruption have taken a dramatic turn, with a focus now on high-ranking public officials who were involved in the unlawful robodebt scheme.

It will investigate whether any of the six officials mentioned in the robodebt royal commission's final report engaged in corrupt conduct.

This reverses the commission's contentious June decision not to investigate the referrals, and has been welcomed by the Community and Public Sector Union as a step towards tackling a "cruel and illegal" scheme.

"For years, the people behind the robodebt scheme have escaped without facing the consequences, while those who were affected by it have been left to deal with the aftermath. That's completely unacceptable," CPSU national secretary Melissa Donnelly said.

The lives of many Australians were severely affected by this plan.

This is a significant moment in the ongoing drive for accountability, and we continue to hope that it delivers transparency, justice and accountability that so many Aussies have been waiting for.

The watchdog didn't give any reasons for launching an investigation, saying it could interfere with the process.

But in October, the National Anti-Corruption Commission's head, Inspector Gail Furness, found that the commission's chief, Paul Brereton, had engaged in misconduct after he had a connection with one of the six people being investigated, but hadn't properly stepped aside from the watchdog's decision.

Mr Brereton and the other deputy commissioners who were involved in the original decision won't be involved in the investigation.

Between 2016 and 2019, the previous coalition government's robodebt scheme retrieved more than $750 million from approximately 400,000 people.

Many people receiving welfare payments were wrongly accused of owing money to the government, and this program was associated with several tragic cases of suicide.

Greens senator David Shoebridge gave a warm welcome to the investigation conducted by the regulatory body.

"This is an opportunity for justice for the thousands of Aussies whose lives and families were torn apart by robodebt," he said.

Today's announcement is a direct contradiction of NACC's previous decision, in which Commissioner Brereton was heavily involved, to dismiss this scandal outright.

The previous decision by the watchdog not to probe the referrals has sparked demands for the commissioner to resign from the position.

The senator said the commissioner had to be trusted by the Australian public.

"The trust has been eroded because of Commissioner Brereton's ongoing role," he said.