Kathryn Campbell is the Department of Defence's $900,000 mystery after robodebt report's release

A "special advisor" role created for Kathryn Campbell, who was one of the key players in the creation of the unlawful scheme, could be in jeopardy as pressure mounts on the public officials involved.

Ms Campbell, a former secretary for the Human Services, Social Services and Foreign Affairs departments, landed a plum role in the AUKUS submarine taskforce last year, earning a $900,000 a year salary, in a position especially created for her by secretary Greg Moriarty.

It made her the third-highest paid official within the Department of Defence after Chief of the Defence Force General Angus Campbell and Mr Moriarty, whose totals package amounted to $1.1 million and $943,000 respectively during the 2021-22 financial year.

Her top wage is also approximately double that of Defence Minister Richard Marles, according to the latest figures from the federal government's wage body, the Remuneration Tribunal.

But Ms Campbell's future in the $900,000 role may be in doubt after the Royal Commission's damning findings were released.

Commissioner Catherine Holmes found the former secretary, on the weight of evidence, gave misleading advice to federal cabinet because her then-minister Scott Morrison wanted to pursue the income-averaging plan designed to significantly raise revenue.

Meanwhile, the Department of Defence has gone to ground since Friday, refusing to comment on her employment status or her position within the department.

A spokesperson for the department would not say whether Ms Campbell was transitioned from her role in the Nuclear-Powered Submarine Taskforce and into the Australian Submarine Agency, which began operating on July 1.

It is otherwise unclear what her role has been within the department since the start of July.

Nine newspapers over the weekend reported she had taken personal leave a day ahead of the report's release.

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Vice-Admiral Jonathan Mead was appointed as its inaugural director-general in late June after it was transitioned to a fully-fledged agency within the department on July 1.

The submarine chief earns a total remuneration package of $660,570 per year, according to a recent Remuneration Tribunal determination.

According to the fresh agency's organisational chart, a "special advisor" role does not exist in its executive team.

Prior to the agency's creation, Ms Campbell held the role of "special advisor" in the AUKUS taskforce after losing the top job in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to Jan Adams in July 2022.

While the taskforce was led by Vice-Admiral Mead, internal emails and documents released under a freedom of information request in May reveal Ms Campbell reported directly to the secretary.

The AUKUS role was created for her within weeks after Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet secretary Glyn Davis told Mr Moriarty her role as foreign affairs boss was "likely" to end.

The Defence secretary in late June 2022 received approval from then-public service commissioner Peter Woolcott to transfer Ms Campbell's existing full salary package from DFAT - which amounted to around $900,000 - over to the AUKUS advisory role due to the "critical nature of the position and experience Ms Campbell will bring".

The documents also reveal her title had been changed on a number of occasions, being once called deputy secretary of AUKUS joint program office, the Head AUKUS Joint Program Office, and both senior and special advisor.