Robodebt architect Scott Britton still employed in public service

Scott Britton, the architect of the illegal welfare adjustment scheme robodebt, continues to work in a senior management role in the Australian Public Service, three years after a royal commission heard evidence that Tony Abbott introduced the scheme to help his “deregulation agenda” and was advised it would require legislative change.

While this investigation found there was no evidence that Britton “knew that the use of income averaging was illegal”, it did find several findings that senior public servants and colleagues were informed of the issue and were closely involved in considering the recommendations; This subsequently cast serious doubt on the practical and legal authority to raise arrears against welfare recipients by merely estimating their two weeks’ income.