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@strangerous10

Jan 31

#RobodebtRC Hank Jongen, media spokesperson for Robodebt on behalf of DHS at the time confirms his job was to
“Neutralise” media reports.

Hank says that when he realised the amount of interventions on welfare recipients went from 20,000 per year to 20,000 per fortnight he simply thought there must be thousands upon thousands of welfare recipients that simply do owe debts. Didn’t think anything was odd. 🤨

Hank Jongan says he was none the wiser on the actual use of income averaging, that he thought it was only used in very rare circumstances.

Is asked if he was concerns about incorrect debts

He says “Yes” and that he raised it with “Malisa Golightly”
“In a friendly way”

Read 19 tweets

stranger

@strangerous10

Jan 31

#RobodebtRC Rachelle Miller making sure Alan Tudge gets no sleep tonight, revealing damning evidence on his practise of fobbing off media reports at the time & using his media releases to put a positive spin on the deadly scheme.

Miller: “It’s what Minister Tudge wanted”

Back connected again… and watching Miller’s evidence.

They are now going through a specific media release from Tudge.
Miller confirms she was involved in the editing of the media release.

Miller says she acknowledges that it is
“Not very accurate”

Holy moly.
Rachelle Miller just said they also regarded the Sydney Morning Herald as Left Wing media.
They obviously categorised whichever media had a negative report as “Left Wing”. This is utterly disgraceful.

Shocked Commissioner: “Left Wing media??!?!?”

Read 10 tweets

stranger

@strangerous10

Jan 31

Hank Jongen on Robodebt early 2017

“It does NOT change how income is assessed or how debts are calculated. It is an EASY way to confirm details & resolve outstanding matters”

As it turns out, was all bullshit in the end. In the hot seat today, the jig is up. 🔥🪑 #RobodebtRC

And that same year, Christian Porter who is due for his grilling on Friday, said that Debt Letters sent to welfare recipients were

“Polite letters” that allow welfare recipients to confirm their income
“In an easy and seamless way”

Infuriating. Disgraceful. Blatant lies.

Rachelle Miller just said that DHS didn’t pay much attention to media reports of Robodebt tragedies because they didn’t really give a stuff about
“Left Wing media” and that all they wanted to do was “shut them down”

Left Wing Media told the truth.
Right Wing politicians lied.

Read 4 tweets

stranger

@strangerous10

Jan 30

#RobodebtRC After an intense grilling of Annette Musolino:

Commissioner Holmes says its “5:00pm” (indicating a possible break)
“Oh sorry” , realises its 4:00pm

“I was having so much fun, I thought time had moved on”
🤣👏👏👏

Musolino being questioned on a meeting she had with Malisa Golightly, a meeting to discuss the “Pro’s” and “Con’s” of seeking External Legal Advice

Agrees was at the meeting but doesn’t recall much, including if there were concerns about the this becoming embarrassing for DHS

Missed out on a large part of the remainder of hearing due to other commitments but will watch back what I missed soon. It’s adjourned till tomorrow.

Sounded like it was getting heated, and Holmes didn’t appear happy with Musolino’s responses.

Read 10 tweets

stranger

@strangerous10

Jan 30

#RoboDebtRC
Commissioner Holmes drills in on evidence suggesting some AAT decisions were not regarded as sensible.

Musolino:
“It’s probably not the most respectful word we could have used there.”🤨

Musolino being asked about a meeting with Malisa Golightly which she claims is she unable to find any records of.

“I haven’t located any emails that go to the substance of that meeting”
“I genuinely can’t recall”

Musolino being asked about the need for her to form her “own view” about key decisions, before making a decision

Keeps reverting to that she relied on the advice of others, clearly dismissing that the obligation is on the decision-maker to ensure that a correct decision is made

Read 15 tweets

stranger

@strangerous10

Jan 30

#RobodebtRC Annette Musolino asserts she has “broad experience” in legal matters, but starts to peddle back on prior claims she had a “deep understanding” in administrative law.

Musolino: “The role was to rely on a large legal team”
Surely the team relied on Musolino, too. 🙄

Now being Q’d on the way compliance officers assessed income of welfare recipients, and her understanding that income averaging should only be used after these officers have exhausted all every possible option for assessing income
Musolino: “It depends what every possible means”

Scott asks if words ‘Every Possible Means’ should mean what it actually means? “Every possible means?”

Musolino: “That wasn’t the process under Robodebt”

Scott asks if that means averaging should only be used as a last resort.

Musolino: “No”
Commissioner now stepping in..🔥

Read 18 tweets

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