Australians for Mental Health Press Release
Australians for Mental Health has today welcomed the historic settlement for Robodebt victims, but has also called for urgent whole-of-government reform so that no Australian is ever harmed by government policy in this way again.
The Federal Government has settled the class action in the Federal Court, which is being hailed as a record compensation outcome for victims of the unlawful scheme first exposed by the Royal Commission.
“Today’s settlement is a hard-won step toward justice for hundreds of thousands of people who were harmed, but it cannot be the end of the story. We must ensure this never happens again,” Australians for Mental Health Executive Director Chris Gambian said.
“The Royal Commission documented an unlawful program that caused profound distress, financial hardship and, in too many cases, catastrophic outcomes for individuals and families. A government that measures what matters would have seen the warning signs, listened to evidence, and changed course sooner,” Chris Gambian said.
Australians for Mental Health is calling for urgent whole-of-government reform to prevent a similar tragedy from happening again which include:
- Legislating a Wellbeing Act to put mental health and wellbeing at the heart of all major policy and budget decisions.
- Establishing an Office of Mental Health and Wellbeing in PMC (Prime Minister and Cabinet) to coordinate population-level mental health across portfolios.
- Appointing an independent national Mental Health and Wellbeing Commissioner (within the Human Rights Commission) with a mandate to report to the Prime Minister and Parliament.
About Australians for Mental Health
AFMH is a national movement advocating for structural reform so every portfolio, not just health, is accountable for improving population mental health and wellbeing. Our platform calls for a Wellbeing Act, an Office of Mental Health and Wellbeing in PM&C, and an independent national Mental Health and Wellbeing Commissioner.
Dear reader, we need your support
Independent sites such as The AIMN provide a platform for public interest journalists. From its humble beginning in January 2013, The AIMN has grown into one of the most trusted and popular independent media organisations.
One of the reasons we have succeeded has been due to the support we receive from our readers through their financial contributions.
With increasing costs to maintain The AIMN, we need this continued support.
Your donation – large or small – to help with the running costs of this site will be greatly appreciated.
You can donate through PayPal or credit card via the button below, or donate via bank transfer: BSB: 062500; A/c no: 10495969
And there are still plenty of people out there that believe that Morriscum and his cronies were the best government in decades.
After all it only cost us a total of about $2.4 billion apparently…..
So the taxpayer hands back the money – as it should be – but NOBODY involved in government is held responsible. What kind of deterrent is that ? It could happen again because the people who did it got away with it !!!
“The Royal Commission documented an unlawful program that caused profound distress, financial hardship and, in too many cases, catastrophic outcomes for individuals and families.”
Scott Morrison gets awarded appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) for his “eminent service” to the country.
How he must have laughed on that day… like the criminal being acquitted by the jury, despite being a criminal.
Strange times, indeed, when politicians can connive to behave illegally and there are no consequences.
I’d add one more point to the three listed in the article:
Prosecute the conscienceless bastards who made this happen, and maker their gaol term immune to parole.
Leefe, the way things are shaping up under our current government,it ain’t gonna happen.Abalone’s mob are starting to take on the same stench as Morrison’s corrupt shitheads.
The duopoly currently rules, but their days are numbered.
That’s one hell of a wet dream to think that ANYONE involved and responsible for Robo-debt will be held accountable!
That does not negate the lost opportunities that the 400,000 lost, myself included, and as for what that settlement involves its chicken feed when you consider that if the many are given a modicum of income parity of e.g., $55K over those 10-year periods, you begin to understand that what’s being considered as a settlement is disgraceful and parsimonious!
It’s about worth and in those minds of the many who have had every privilege in their life the ordinary person has no value and no worth and no respect.
Politicians rarely get into trouble for “doing their job”, any job, however badly. Spills occur, with possible bribery, corruption, misguidance, leaking in and out, utter stupidity in concepts, policy, strategies. Really, criminal activity is clear here, and that goes untouched. We do not elect “honesty, skill, intelligence, success”.
Scomo should be behind bars – Look what he cost Australia and Australians on just one of his many illegal projects when in government. Why is there no accountability – where is the justice system and prosecutions? How can we prevent this from happening again if there are no consequences and accountability?
This alone is the continuation of our collective Australian nightmare – Thus it will happen again especially with Trumpian Republicanism, Netanyahu Zionism and LNP Coalition brainless moronics with money, mining elite, media moguls, Big Tech and ambitious sycophants behind them all, and no distinction between right and wrong, legal consequence or constitutional accountability. A dystopian alliance of the willing, an alignment of dark matter, the Achilles heel of democracy.
Robodebt came directly from the government policies and media and societal attitudes that stereotyped people receiving benefits as undeserving, bludgers and liars.