Just hours after a top public worker resigned over the scandal, Scott Morrison was seen for the first time since the Robodebt royal commission’s devastating report was released.
The former leader was last seen in public a few weeks ago when he was photographed outside his home after returning from a vacation in Europe. He remained silent when approached by reporters, though.
His resurgence coincides with Kathryn Campbell, a senior public servant, leaving her $900,000-a-year position with the Department of Defence after receiving harsh criticism for the report’s conclusions.
After it was discovered that the department Campbell led did nothing significant when made aware of the program’s wrongdoings, she resigned.
Just three days after Commissioner Catherine Holmes’ report was formally deposited, Campbell was relieved of her advising duties at the Department of Defence.
In a statement published on its website, the Department of Defence stated: “Defence can confirm it has accepted Ms. Kathryn Campbell’s resignation from the department with effect from Friday, July 21, 2023.”
The department continued, “We will make no further comments on this matter.”
Following the robodebt inquiry’s conclusions, Campbell was recently relieved of her important position as an advisor on AUKUS, the trilateral security and defence agreement between Australia, the UK, and the US.
Campbell received a $900,000 yearly pay when he was hired as an advisor on the nuclear submarine contract last year.
When the contentious debt recovery programme started, Campbell was in charge of the Department of Human Services, which was chastised in the royal commission’s report.
The study closely examined the previous prime minister as well and concluded that Morrison “failed to meet his ministerial responsibility to ensure that Cabinet was properly informed about what the proposal actually entailed and to ensure that it was lawful.”
Later, Morrison criticised the commission’s harsh criticism of the testimony he delivered and his ministerial shortcomings.
Morrison, who served as the social services minister for nine months in 2014 and 2015, disputed the report in a long statement.
“I completely reject each and every finding that is adverse to me and that is critical of my involvement in authorising the scheme,” he stated.
