Services Australia boss Rebecca Skinner, who leads the agency that replaced the Department of Human Services, has told her workforce there is “much to consider” now the robodebt royal commission findings have been published.
In an email to staff on Friday, Skinner told her workforce of more than 32,300 people that the agency’s focus over the next 12 months will be to “rebuild trust and remain agile and courageous in the face of changes and scrutiny.”
“Robodebt is one of the most challenging issues we’ve faced,” Skinner said.
“I acknowledge the hurt it caused customers and our own staff. I’m aware the report may cause further distress for many of you.”
The due process the agency must follow in the wake of the royal commission would take time, Skinner added, including handling the next stages of any adverse findings.
“Sticking to our principles, and tackling our challenges head on, will hold us in good stead as we move forward,” she said.
“Now, more than ever, we need to ask ourselves if what we are doing is simple, helpful, respectful and transparent.”
Services Australia is the government’s primary service delivery agency, responsible for assisting 26.4 million Medicare customers, 11.4 million Centrelink customers, and 1.2 million child support customers.
The agency’s purpose is to support Australians by efficiently delivering high-quality, accessible services and payments on behalf of the government.
Skinner was appointed to lead Services Australia by former Liberal minister for the NDIS and government services Stuart Robert in March 2020.
By this time, robodebt and the way it calculated debts owing to the commonwealth was ruled to be illegal. But Robert was insisting the problems exposed of the Federal Court class action settlement for the mean-spirited scheme only required a mere “refinement” by the system. That was a gross downplay of what was really going on.
Royal commissioner Catherine Holmes was so appalled by the way robodebt showed public servants let down citizens who were recipients of welfare support that in her final report, she made a point of refusing to use Services Australia’s terminology “customer”. The illegal scheme was an example of anything but customer service, she said.
One of the key issues that Holmes told Services Australia it must change after the disaster of the erroneous automated debt-collecting program was its debt recovery management policy. One of her 57 recommendations called for new guidelines on how agency staff engaged with debtors, requiring public servants:
- Ensure debt recovery action is ethical, proportionate, consistent and transparent;
- Treat all recipients fairly and with dignity, taking each person’s circumstances into account before commencing recovery action;
- Refrain from commencing or continuing action while a debt is being reviewed or disputed; and
- Consider and respond appropriately and proportionately to cases of hardship.
Skinner told Services Australia employees that those directly involved with the royal commission proceedings would receive wellbeing checks and confidential mentor support.
For others in the wider workforce, she urged them to call the Lifeworks hotline (1844 880 9142), or reach out to EAP services if needed.
“I know that you take great pride in serving Australia and making a difference in the community for those who need our support,” Skinner said.
“The royal commission heard accounts from people who had poor experiences and we’ll now be working hard to restore their confidence.”
PM&C secretary and APS commissioner Gordon de Brouwer confirmed on Monday that a taskforce had been set up to help advise the government on its response to the royal commission recommendations. This response was expected in the next two months, they said.
Government services minister Bill Shorten, who has been responsible for Services Australia’s portfolio for a year now, told ABC’s 7.30 that the royal commission exposed robobdebt as a “war” on welfare recipients.
“The commissioner said this stigmitisation of people on welfare just needs to stop,” Shorten said.
“I know that the Labor government doesn’t stigmatise people on welfare — we’ve certainly increased the Commonwealth rent support, we’ve increased the single mothers’ payments, we’ve increased NewStart.
“I don’t think the journey stops there — I’m not going to pretend that’s easy living on. But I’ve never had that view nor do my colleagues in Labor,” he said.
The minister added the sealed section of Holmes’ report had referred some bad-faith politicians and public servants to regulatory bodies.
By close of business on Monday, the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) said more than half (54%) of the 311 referrals it had received concerned “matters well publicised in the media.”
“As stated by the robodebt royal commission, it has referred parts of its report to the NACC,” a statement from the watchdog read.
“The NACC will assess these in accordance with its assessment procedures.
“It is not appropriate at this stage for the National Anti-Corruption Commission to say more than the royal commission has determined to disclose.”
In her message to staff, the Services Australia CEO said her priority was continuing to support public servants through the next steps.
Similar to DSS secretary Ray Griggs, Skinner suggested that media interest and public discussion may upset members of the agency. Any conversations with the press should be explored with the Services Australia media team first, she said.
Staff and contractors were also reminded of their duties under the APS code of conduct and to comply with the social media policy.
“Over the coming months, senior leaders will work with you to understand what support you need and develop plans to better empower you to give feedback that helps us learn from your experiences,” Skinner said.
“We’ll be running Safe to Speak group sessions available to all staff during July, August and September.
“These sessions will focus on making sure you’re provided with a safe and supportive work environment, as well as giving you the opportunity to provide feedback about your current needs.”
Skinner comes from a family of public servants and has previously gone on the record to describe good service delivery as ensuring people’s headline experience with government was “simple, helpful, respectful, and transparent”. These drivers were reiterated in her Monday message to staff and are often used as the basis for her thought leadership about best practice in the agency.
In her CEO’s message for Services Australia’s 2021-22 annual report, she said the agency was committed to using customer insights to design and improve the services Australians experience.
“Even as we pivoted to respond to COVID-19 and disasters, [Services Australia] has continued to deliver longer-term projects and programs to accelerate our continued delivery of high-quality services to customers,” Skinner said.
“Developing modern payment systems, reusable technological architecture and the new ways of assisting our customers is foundational to our transformation journey, while protecting the integrity of government outlays which continues to be a strong focus of the agency.”
There you have it. If you thought robodebt might have dampened the desire within the APS’ core service agencies to use technology or find solutions (like Budget savings) that can be rolled out at pace, you would be wrong.
That said, the latest SA annual report also notes there is a focus on “modernising” face-to-face services and operations. This includes efforts to place 69 aged care specialist officers in service centres across the county, and the introduction of “appointment-based servicing” so that people can drop in for help at a time that works for them.
“In addition, more than a quarter of our 318 service centres have now been refreshed with a new and welcoming physical environment, and many more will be upgraded over the next few years,” Skinner said.
Any feedback or news tips? Here’s where to contact the relevant team.