Jerome Laxale (Bennelong, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Fourteen hundred and seventy-four—that's how many people in my electorate of Bennelong were victims of the Liberals' illegal robodebt scheme. That's 1,474 vulnerable people who were illegally targeted by their own government unjustly accusing them of owing the government money, 1,474 people who were entitled to dignity and respect and were instead treated as political pawns by the Liberals and Nationals. Let us be clear: robodebt was not about catching welfare cheats; it was about targeting vulnerable citizens and doing so for political reasons. Families were pushed to the brink, faced financial ruin and emotional distress and, in some tragic cases, had to deal with the loss of a loved one. Astonishingly, in the face of 46 days of public hearings and over 100 witness testimonials, those responsible opposite still seek to distance themselves from the consequences of their actions. We had the member for Cook get up in this place and reject completely each of the findings that were critical of him. We've had the Leader of the Opposition acknowledge that maybe some individuals made some mistakes, but he was then happy to describe the Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme as nothing more than a political witch-hunt. The Liberals' refusal to take responsibility for their actions is a slap in the face to the 1,474 individuals in Bennelong who were illegally targeted. They need to take a long, hard look at themselves and apologise today.