The cloud over the future of former Department of Human Services secretary Kathryn Campbell is getting darker after a senior government minister said those who have had adverse findings made against them by the Robodebt royal commission "become difficult for the government".
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
While declining to comment on the prospects of individual named in the royal commission's explosive report, including Ms Campbell, Government Services Minister Bill Shorten told ABC radio that the commission "did not miss her in terms of their analysis".
In her report, Commissioner Catherine Holmes blasted Ms Campbell, saying she was involved in policy proposal to federal cabinet that was "likely to mislead because it contained no reference to income averaging or the need for legislative change".
Ms Holmes' report said the weight of evidence was that the former department secretary knew of the misleading effect of the policy proposal but chose to stay silent because her then minister Scott Morrison wanted to pursue the plan.
The royal commission's report includes a sealed section that identifies individuals who are recommended for referral for possible civil or criminal prosecution.
The sealed section has been provided the heads of several departments including Prime Minister and Cabinet secretary Glyn Davis, the Australian Public Service Commissioner Gordon de Brouwer, the National Anti-Corruption Commission, the Australian Federal Police and the Law Society of the ACT.
After Labor came to government Ms Campbell was moved to a $900,000-a-year position in the Defence Department to advise on the AUKUS program, but Nine has reported she took leave from her position a day before the royal commission report was released.
There have been concerns raised that the names of those identified in the sealed section may not ever become public, but Mr Shorten said that was unlikely.
"I certainly want to make sure the public knows," he said.
"They want, not just an explanation of how it could happen, but they want to know that the people who made these callous, unlawful decisions face consequences.
"I don't think there is any avoiding the need to explain to people who's been found responsible for what."
READ MORE:
He said the idea that the public is never told the identities of those in the sealed section was not "a sustainable position".
Among the report's 57 recommendations are numerous suggestions for change at Services Australia, the Department of Human Services and the broader public service.
Mr Shorten said changes were already being made at Services Australia and the government's response to a blueprint for reform of the agency would be likely in "eight to 12 weeks".
"Some [changes] have already been put into place and there are changes underway and there will be additional changes recommended in the royal commission," he said.
Former senior public servant Jane Halton said heads of departments employing staff identified in the royal commission's sealed section "have a job" to manage the situation.
The Public Service Commission has established a taskforce led by an independent reviewer to investigate breaches of the APS Code of Conduct alleged by the royal commission.
The APSC said decisions about employment arrangements for public servants identified in the report "is a matter for their current employer. Agency heads can take action before a formal investigation has started or concluded".
"The reality is that any individual agency head who does know whether or not any of their staff are actually implicated, they will have a job to manage those individuals while these processes are being undertaken," Ms Halton told the ABC.