Fine robodebt sentiments may not survive political battle

Unfortunately, even if all the changes recommended by the royal commission (the government says there are 56 and the 57^th, regarding freedom-of-information access to cabinet documents, was a "closing observation") are implemented, it could.

The government acknowledges as much in the fourth paragraph of its response to the commission's findings.

"The recommendations are not - in and of themselves - enough to prevent another robodebt scheme," the government admits.

As commissioner Catherine Holmes made clear in her report, this is because robodebt was, ultimately, the product of a political culture and environment that demonised those in need of government assistance.

She said the evidence presented to the commission showed that was that fraud in the welfare system was "miniscule, but that is not the impression one would get from what ministers responsible for social security payments have said over the years".

The reforms recommended by the commission, which will help buttress the public service in assessing and administering programs and strengthening oversight and privacy protections and setting clearer guardrails around the use of automated processes and the like, are worthy.

And they sit within broader changes like the government's push to reform and strengthen the Australian Public Service, to rejig the ministerial code of conduct, replace the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, grant greater powers to the Commonwealth Ombudsman and reinstate the Administrative Review Council.

But one glaring area where the government's efforts so far are falling short is regarding whistleblower protections.

It is no small irony that on the very same day the government said in its response to the robodebt report that it was strengthening the system to protect public sector whistleblowers, the trial of military lawyer David McBride on charges of unlawfully leaking information about alleged war crimes by Australian defence personnel, commenced.

Supporters like former senator Rex Patrick argue the prosecution is a travesty that will deter whistleblowers "for years to come" and is a stain on the Albanese government.

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The government argues that military personnel have no protection for disclosing secret information without authorisation, and that to allow it would be "inimicable" to defence force discipline.

This stance sits awkwardly with the tribute four ministers, including Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus, paid to the "courage, leadership, and ethics on display from victims, advocates and whistleblowers" during the robodebt royal commission.

Ultimately, the question of whether or not something like robodebt happens again will come down to how much public attitudes towards people receiving government assistance shifts, and how willing politicians in future will be to refrain from attacking such people for cheap political advantage.

As Commissioner Holmes said, "anti-welfare rhetoric is easy populism, useful for campaign purposes"

She exhorted politicians to "lead a change in social attitudes to people receiving welfare payments".

The government has made a start, saying that "the social security system is a vital safety net, providing both income support and access to services for Australians who need it. Many Australians need this support at different times in their lives, for many different reasons. There is no shame in this".

The test will be whether such sentiments survive the first brush of political battle.