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Final Report

The Royal Commission has made 222 recommendations on how to improve laws, policies, structures and practices to ensure a more inclusive and just society that supports the independence of people with disability and their right to live free from violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation.

The Final Report consists of 12 Volumes plus an additional introductory volume, which includes the Chair’s foreword, our vision for an inclusive Australia, an executive summary and the full list of recommendations.  All volumes of the Final Report are available in various accessible formats. Click on a volume below to view and download these formats. Printed copies of the Final Report can be ordered from our Order resources page.

The Royal Commission has also published A brief Guide to the Final Report . This guide explains how information is organised in the Final report. It is for a broad audience including people with disability, their families and carers, other members of the Australian community, disability advocates, service providers and people looking to quickly find the information they need.

Additionally, the Royal Commission has published a brochure called Listening to First Nations people with disability . This brochure describes what we heard from First Nations people with disability and their families and communities about the issues and challenges they face. It also describes some of the changes needed to create an Australia where First Nations people with disability are included.

The final report was first published on 29 September 2023. Subsequently, minor corrections were made and an updated report was published on 2 November 2023. The corrections are listed in the Corrigendum .

Executive Summary

Executive Summary, Our vision for an Inclusive Australia and Recommendations

Voices of people with disability - cover thumbnail

Voices of people with disability

About the Royal Commission - cover thumbnail

About the Royal Commission

Nature and Extent - cover thumbnail

Nature and extent of violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation

Realising the human rights of people - cover thumbnail

Realising the human rights of people with disability

Governing for inclusion - cover thumbnail

Governing for inclusion

Enabling autonomy and access - cover thumbnail

Enabling autonomy and access

Inclusive education, employment and housing - cover thumbnail

Inclusive education, employment and housing

Criminal justice and people with disability - cover thumbnail

Criminal justice and people with disability

First Nations people with disability - cover thumbnail

First Nations people with disability

Disability service providers - cover thumbnail

Disability services

Independant oversight - cover thumbnail

Independent oversight and complaint mechanisms

Beyond the Royal Commission - cover thumbnail

Beyond the Royal Commission

Two people walking together along a path through a garden. Stairs going up are in the background

Final Report brochures

Complete report, final report - complete volume, final report (auslan).

Video transcript

The Disability Royal Commission has completed its Final report.

Our report recommends change so people with disability can enjoy all human rights and freedoms fully and equally.

It recommends important changes to policy and practices across governments, organisations, services and the community to prevent violence against, and abuse, neglect and exploitation of, people with disability.

Many people contributed to this report. People with disability, their families, friends, carers and supporters shared their experiences with us.

Government representatives and service providers told us about challenges and opportunities to improve outcomes for people with disability. We are very grateful for their input.

We handed our Final report to the Australian Government on 28 September 2023.

We have done our job and the Disability Royal Commission has ended.

It is now up to the Australian Government to act on our recommendations for change.

You can read our Final report on our website. There are 12 volumes, plus an introductory volume which contains our vision for an inclusive Australia.

We have made Auslan translations of each volume.

For most volumes we have made two Auslan videos:

a general summary of the volume, outlining the structure and highlighting key information

a summary of the main recommendations contained in the volume.

Each video is 10 to 15 minutes long.

Look out for our Auslan videos of Volume 1 – Voices of people with disability. These contain several powerful stories in Auslan that people have shared with us. These stories have informed our work and recommendations.

More information

For more information about our Final report, and to access all volumes, visit our website. Go to the ‘Publications’ section and click on ‘Final report’.

www.disability.royalcommission.gov.au

Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care

Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety

The Australian Government will deliver a once in a generation reform of aged care in response to the final report of the Royal Commission. The response is founded on the principles of respect, care and dignity.

Australian Government response to the final report

The Australian Government welcomed the Royal Commission’s final report . This report provided 148 recommendations to significantly reform the aged care sector.

Read our response to the recommendations .

Royal Commission reports

The Royal Commission has delivered:

  • an  interim report  
  • a  special report on COVID-19 in aged care , tabled in the Australian Parliament on 1 October 2020
  • a  final report , tabled in the Australian Parliament on 1 March 2021.

What the commission did

The Royal Commission looked at:

  • the quality and safety of residential and in-home aged care for older people
  • the extent to which these services meet peoples’ needs
  • the extent of substandard care, including mistreatment and all forms of abuse
  • the causes of any systemic failures
  • actions that should be taken in response
  • people with disabilities living in aged care homes (including younger people) 
  • people living with dementia 
  • how to give people more control and choice in relation to their care, and improving engagement with families and carers
  • what the government, aged care sector, families and community can do to ensure quality and safety in aged care
  • innovative models of care
  • use of technology
  • investment in the aged care workforce and capital infrastructure 
  • the context of changing demographics and preferences, i.e. people's wish to stay in their own home as they age 
  • remote, rural and regional Australia
  • the response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in aged care, and what can be learned from this experience for responding to future pandemics, infectious disease outbreaks or other emergencies.

Find out more

Visit the Royal Commission website to find out about:

  • the terms of reference
  • community forums
  • the Commissioners .

If you have an urgent matter, please contact the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission .

Media releases

  • 11 May 2021 – $17.7 billion to deliver once in a generation change to aged care in Australia
  • 1 March 2021 – Respect, Care and Dignity – Aged Care Royal Commission $452 million immediate response as Government commits to historic reform to deliver Respect and Care for Senior Australians
  • 1 October 2020 – Minister Colbeck's statement about the Royal Commission's COVID-19 report .
  • 8 July 2020 – Prime Minister announces extension to reporting timeframe
  • 25 November 2019 – Prime Minister announces response to interim report  
  • 9 October 2018 –  Prime Minister announces the terms of reference
  • 16 September 2018 –  Prime Minister announces the Royal Commission

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Aged care Royal Commission report a ‘black and white description’ of Coalition’s ‘failure’

Aged Care Minister Anika Wells says the Royal Commission report into her sector was a “black and white description” of the Coalition’s “failure”.

The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety was established in October, 2018, with the goal of assessing whether the services were meeting the needs of the community and how they could be improved.

“In two weeks it will be the third anniversary of the Royal Commission into the Aged Care Quality and Safety’s final report,” Ms Wells said during Question Time on Thursday.

“A report that described the aged care system under the Coalition’s lead as a shocking tale of neglect and one which was unkind and uncaring.

“Among the many dark themes that were to emerge was that workers were systematically underpaid, and undervalued – that low wages and poor employment conditions meant that he sector struggled to attract and retain well-skilled people.”

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The royal commission’s final report has landed – now to make sure there is an adequate redress scheme

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Professor, School of Law, Queensland University of Technology

Disclosure statement

Ben Mathews received funding from the Royal Commission to complete three research projects, which it commissioned. The views expressed here are his own and should not be assumed to reflect those of any other person or organisation.

Queensland University of Technology provides funding as a member of The Conversation AU.

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The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse has performed its task magnificently . Its scale, complexity and quality is unprecedented. Its work is already being acknowledged internationally as a model of best practice.

As a nation, we can be proud of the commissioners and their staff. We should acclaim the courage of all survivors, including those who informed the commissioners about their experiences, and we should honour those who have not lived to see this day.

We must recognise the integrity and strength of those who advocated for the inquiry, including survivors, their families, journalists and police. We should applaud former prime minister Julia Gillard for initiating the commission, and the current federal government for ensuring it was adequately resourced.

But this is not the end. The real work begins now. Australian governments and major social institutions now have not only the opportunity, but the responsibility, to create lasting social change. Their responses will be monitored here, including through requirements to report on their actions, and around the world.

The royal commission’s impact

This watershed inquiry has created the conditions for a seachange in how society deals with child sexual abuse in institutions, which can flow to our treatment of sexual abuse in other settings.

Our society’s leaders can build progress from the pain of former failings. Not meeting this responsibility would surely stick as a lifelong regret for those in positions to cement change. Fulfilling this imperative can leave a legacy of which these government and institutional leaders can be proud.

Substantial progress has already been made. The commission’s earlier reports have influenced important changes to civil justice systems, criminal justice systems, organisational governance, and prevention, including situational prevention in child and youth-serving organisations.

The Child Safe Standards now promoted by the commission are substantially embedded in legislation in several states, requiring organisations to adopt comprehensive measures to prevent, identify and respond appropriately to child sexual abuse.

Civil laws have been amended in most jurisdictions to allow claims for compensation, holding individuals and organisations accountable.

In some states, new requirements to report known and suspected cases apply through special “failure to report” and “failure to protect” offences in criminal laws. They also apply through separate reportable conduct schemes that add essential independent external oversight .

Read more: Royal commission recommends sweeping reforms for Catholic Church to end child abuse

Yet much remains to be done. The reforms already made in some states must be adopted elsewhere to create national consistency.

Accountability of individuals and organisations is essential to create cultural change, and needs to be achieved through both civil systems (such as following Western Australia’s recent bill enabling lawsuits against organisations that previously could not be sued, such as the Catholic Church), and criminal systems (for example, prosecuting those who harbour offenders, and removing criminal law principles that compromise criminal prosecutions).

Other state and territory mandatory reporting laws need to be harmonised, as recommended by the commission. Many of the commission’s new 189 recommendations are rightly directed towards prevention, especially through the Child Safe Standards, including their requirements for education, codes of conduct, situational prevention, and the commitment required of organisations’ leadership.

We must focus our efforts on the future, but we must also ensure we properly deal with the past. Perhaps the single most important aspect of this is the redress scheme.

What happens now with redress?

The national redress scheme is behind schedule and must be finalised with sufficient funding, and government and institutional commitment.

The bill for the scheme remains before parliament, awaiting a committee report due in March 2018. It is yet to receive the commitment of all states, territories, and relevant organisations.

The commission recommended the scheme be operational by July 1, 2017, with an upper cap of A$200,000 and an average redress payment of $65,000. Under the bill, the scheme’s cap is $150,000, substantially below the recommendation, and even further below the average payment awarded in Ireland of more than €60,000 (about A$92,200). In Ireland, the highest payment was more than €300,000 (about A$461,000).

The Australian scheme contains three elements. First, a monetary payment as tangible recognition of the wrong suffered by a survivor. Second, access to counselling and psychological services (estimated at an average of $5,500 per person). Third, if requested, a direct personal response from the responsible institution(s), such as an apology.

Not all survivors will apply to the scheme, as many are not financially motivated. However, it is an essential part of a healing response. This has been shown internationally in Canada, Ireland and elsewhere.

Redress schemes are more flexible and speedy, with less formality and cost, and less trauma and confrontation, than conventional legal proceedings. Payments are not intended to replicate the amount that would be payable under a formal civil compensation claim, and instead are far lower.

Accordingly, institutions should recognise the lower financial commitment required to discharge their ethical obligation to participate compared with their liability in formal civil compensation amounts, especially since recent reforms to civil statutes of limitation have removed time limits and allow a claim to be commenced at any time.

Ten key aspects of the proposed Australian scheme are:

People are eligible to apply to the scheme if they experienced sexual abuse in an institution while they were a child, before July 1, 2018.

A lower evidentiary threshold applies, meaning that eligibility for a redress payment is assessed on whether there was “a reasonable likelihood” the person suffered institutional sexual abuse as a child.

Applicants who have received redress under another scheme or compensation through a settlement or court judgment are still eligible, but prior payments by the institution will be deducted from the amount of redress.

Only one application per person can be made; where a person was abused in more than one institution, provisions enable the decision-maker to determine the appropriate share of each institution.

Applicants can access legal assistance to help determine whether to accept the offer of redress.

A person who accepts an offer of redress must sign a deed of release, meaning the institution(s) responsible for the abuse will not be subject to other civil liability.

Payments are not subject to income tax.

Reviews of decisions are limited to internal review, and not to merits review or judicial review.

Criminal liability of offenders is not affected.

The scheme is intended to open on July 1, 2018, and operate for ten years; applications need to be made at least 12 months before the closing date of June 30, 2028.

Read more: When it comes to redress for child sexual abuse, all victims should be equal

Five further factors need to be accommodated by the scheme to ensure it functions properly and complies with the clear recommendations of the royal commission.

The upper cap should be $200,000 to ensure sufficient recognition of severe cases.

To ensure equal access to the scheme, legal assistance must be made available to assist people in making applications.

Governments and institutions should opt in as soon as possible and commit resources to discharge their duty to participate in the scheme.

Governments – federal or state – should be the funder of last resort in all cases where the institution is unable to reimburse the Commonwealth (for example, where the institution no longer exists, or lacks resources to participate).

The method of determining the amount of the payment, based on the severity of the abuse, its impact, and other relevant factors, must be made available as soon as possible so it can be adequately debated.

The commission’s work contributes a historic, international legacy . The sexual abuse of children in institutions will be revealed in more nations in coming years. This will involve some of the same religious institutions in which it has been found here to be so prevalent, and so heinously concealed and facilitated. Simply due to population, countless children will be shown to be affected.

For this reason, our governments and institutions must now ensure their actions add to the royal commission’s example, and demonstrate to other countries how civilised societies should respond.

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Royal Commission

into the Robodebt Scheme

The Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme has concluded. Commissioner Catherine Holmes AC SC presented the Report of the Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme to the Governor-General, His Excellency, General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd) on 7 July 2023. It was tabled on 7 July 2023.

The report was first published on 7 July 2023. Subsequently, corrections were made and an updated report was published on 11 July 2023. The changes and corrections in the updated edition are listed in the Corrigendum.

List of recommendations

The following is a list of 57 recommendations of this Commission. Recommendations have been grouped and numbered according to the chapter in which they appear.

Chapter 10 – Effects of Robodebt on individuals

Recommendation 10.1: design policies and processes with emphasis on the people they are meant to serve.

Services Australia design its policies and processes with a primary emphasis on the recipients it is meant to serve. That should entail:

avoiding language and conduct which reinforces feelings of stigma and shame associated with the receipt of government support when it is needed

facilitating easy and efficient engagement with options of online, in person and telephone communication which is sensitive to the particular circumstances of the customer cohort, including itinerant lifestyles, lack of access to technology, lack of digital literacy and the particular difficulties rural and remote living

explaining processes in clear terms and plain language in communication to customers, and

acting with sensitivity to financial and other forms of stress experienced by the customer cohort and taking all practicable steps to avoid the possibility that interactions with the government might exacerbate those stresses or introduce new ones.

Chapter 11 – The concept of vulnerability

Recommendation 11.1: clear documentation of exclusion criteria.

Services Australia should ensure that for any cohort of recipients that is intended to be excluded from a compliance process or activity, there is clear documentation of the exclusion criteria, and, unless there is a technical reason it cannot be, the mechanism by which that is to occur should be reflected in the relevant technical specification documents.

Recommendation 11.2: Identification of circumstances affecting the capacity to engage with compliance activity

Services Australia should ensure that its processes and policies in relation to the identification of potential vulnerabilities extend to the identification of circumstances affecting a recipient’s capacity to engage with any form of compliance activity. To this end, circumstances likely to affect a recipient’s capacity to engage with compliance activities should be recorded on their file regardless of whether they are in receipt of a payment that gives rise to mutual obligations.

Recommendation 11.3: Engagement prior to removing a vulnerability indicator from a file

Services Australia should ensure that its processes and policies in relation to the identification of potential vulnerabilities require staff to engage with a recipient prior to the removal of an indicator on their file. For this purpose, Services Australia should remove any feature that would allow for the automatic expiry of a vulnerability indicator (or equivalent flagging tool). An indicator should only be removed where a recipient, or evidence provided to the Agency in relation to the recipient, confirms that they are no longer suffering from the vulnerability to which the indicator relates.

Recommendation 11.4: Consideration of vulnerabilities affected by each compliance program, including consultation with advocacy bodies

Services Australia should incorporate a process in the design of compliance programs to consider and document the categories of vulnerable recipients who may be affected by the program, and how those recipients will be dealt with. Services Australia should consult stakeholders (including peak advocacy bodies) as part of this process to ensure that adequate provision is made to accommodate vulnerable recipients who may encounter particular difficulties engaging with the program.

Chapter 12 – The roles of advocacy groups and legal services

Recommendation 12.1: easier engagement with centrelink.

Options for easier engagement with Centrelink by advocacy groups – for example, through the creation of a national advocates line – should be considered.

Recommendation 12.2: Customer experience reference group

The government should consider establishing a customer experience reference group, which would provide streamlined insight to government regarding the experiences of people accessing income support.

Recommendation 12.3: Consultation

Peak advocacy bodies should be consulted prior to the implementation of projects involving the modification of the social security system.

Recommendation 12.4: Regard for funding for legal aid commissions and community legal centres

When it next conducts a review of the National Legal Assistance Partnership, the Commonwealth should have regard, in considering funding for legal aid commissions and community legal centres, to the importance of the public interest role played by those services as exemplified in their work during the Scheme.

Chapter 13 – Experiences of Human Services employees

Recommendation 13.1: consultation process.

Services Australia should put in place processes for genuine and receptive consultation with frontline staff when new programs are being designed and implemented.

Recommendation 13.2: Feedback processes

Better feedback processes should be put in place so that frontline staff can communicate their feedback in an open and consultative environment. Management should have constructive processes in place to review and respond to staff feedback.

Recommendation 13.3: “Face-to-face” support

More “face-to-face” customer service support options should be available for vulnerable recipients needing support.

Recommendation 13.4: Increased number of social workers

Increased social worker support (for both recipients and staff), and better referral processes to enable this support, should be implemented.

Chapter 15 – Failures in the Budget process

Recommendation 15.1: legislative change better defined in new policy proposals.

The Budget Process Operational Rules should include a requirement that all New Policy Proposals contain a statement as to whether the proposal requires legislative change in order to be lawfully implemented, as distinct from legislative change to authorise expenditure.

Recommendation 15.2: Include legal advices with New Policy Proposals

The Budget Process Operational Rules should include a requirement that any legal advice (either internal or external) relating to whether the proposal requires legislative change in order to be implemented be included with the New Policy Proposal in any versions of the Portfolio Budget Submission circulated to other agencies or Cabinet ministers.

Recommendation 15.3: Australian Government Solicitor statement in the NPP

The Budget Process Operational Rules should include a requirement that where legal advice has been given in relation to whether the proposal requires legislative change in order to be implemented, the New Policy Proposal includes a statement as to whether the Australian Government Solicitor has reviewed and agreed with the advice.

Recommendation 15.4: Standard, specific language on legal risks in the NPP

The standard language used in the NPP Checklist should be sufficiently specific to make it obvious on the face of the document what advice is being provided, in respect of what legal risks and by whom it is being provided.

Recommendation 15.5: Documented assumptions for compliance Budget measures

That in developing compliance Budget measures, Services Australia and DSS document the basis for the assumptions and inputs used, including the sources of the data relied on.

Recommendation 15.6: Documentation on the basis for assumptions provided to Finance

That in seeking agreement from Finance for costings of compliance Budget measures, Services Australia and DSS provide Finance with documentation setting out the basis for the assumptions and inputs used, including related data sources, to allow Finance to properly investigate and test those assumptions and inputs.

Chapter 16 – Data-matching and exchanges

Recommendation 16.1: legal advice on end-to-end data exchanges.

The Commonwealth should seek legal advice on the end-to-end data exchange processes which are currently operating between Services Australia and the ATO to ensure they are lawful.

Recommendation 16.2: Review and strengthen governance of data-matching programs

The ATO and DHS should take immediate steps to review and strengthen their operational governance practices as applied to jointly conducted data-matching programs. This should include:

  • reviews to ensure that all steps and operations relating to existing or proposed data-matching programs are properly documented
  • a review of all existing framework documents for existing or proposed data-matching programs
  • a review of the operations of the ATO/DHS Consultative Forum and the ATO/DHS Data Management Forum
  • a review of the existing Head Agreement/s, Memoranda of Understanding and Services Schedule
  • a joint review of any existing or proposed data-matching program protocols to ensure they are legally compliant in respect of their provision for the data exchanges contemplated for the relevant data-matching program.

Chapter 17 – Automated decision making

Recommendation 17.1: reform of legislation and implementation of regulation.

The Commonwealth should consider legislative reform to introduce a consistent legal framework in which automation in government services can operate.

Where automated decision-making is implemented:

  • there should be a clear path for those affected by decisions to seek review
  • departmental websites should contain information advising that automated decision-making is used and explaining in plain language how the process works
  • business rules and algorithms should be made available, to enable independent expert scrutiny.

Recommendation 17.2: Establishment of a body to monitor and audit automated decision-making

The Commonwealth should consider establishing a body, or expanding an existing body, with the power to monitor and audit automate decision-making processes with regard to their technical aspects and their impact in respect of fairness, the avoiding of bias, and client usability.

Chapter 18 – Debt recovery and debt collectors

Recommendation 18.1: comprehensive debt recovery policy for services australia.

Services Australia should develop a comprehensive debt recovery management policy which among other things should incorporate the Guideline for Collectors and Creditors’ issued by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC). Examples of such documents already exist at both federal and state levels. Any such policy should also prescribe how Services Australia undertakes to engage with debtors, including that staff must:

  • ensure any debt recovery action is always ethical, proportionate, consistent and transparent
  • treat all recipients fairly and with dignity, taking each person’s circumstances into account before commencing recovery action
  • subject to any express legal authority to do so, refrain from commencing or continuing recovery action while a debt is being reviewed or disputed, and
  • in accordance with legal authority, consider and respond appropriately and proportionately to cases of hardship.

Services Australia should ensure that recipients are given ample and appropriate opportunities to challenge, review and seek guidance on any proposed debts before they are referred for debt recovery.

Recommendation 18.2: Reinstate the limitation of six years on debt recovery

The Commonwealth should repeal s 1234B of the Social Security Act and reinstate the effective limitation period of six years for the bringing of proceedings to recover debts under Part 5.2 of the Act formerly contained in s 1232 and s 1236 of that Act, before repeal of the relevant sub-sections by the Budget Savings (Omnibus) Act (No 55) 2016 (Cth). There is no reason that current and former social security recipients should be on any different footing from other debtors.

Chapter 19 – Lawyers and legal services

Recommendation 19.1: selection of chief counsel.

The selection panel for the appointment of chief counsel of Services Australia or DSS (chief counsel being the head of the entity’s legal practice) should include as a member of the panel, the Australian Government Solicitor.

Recommendation 19.2: Training for lawyers – Services Australia

Services Australia should provide regular training to its in-house lawyers on the core duties and responsibilities set out in the Legal Practice Standards, including:

  • an emphasis on the duty to avoid any compromise to their integrity and professional independence and the challenges that may be presented to a government lawyer in fulfilling that obligation.
  • appropriate statutory and case authority references in advice writing.

Recommendation 19.3: Legal practice standards – Social Services

DSS should develop Legal Practice Standards which set out the core duties and responsibilities of all legal officers working at DSS.

Recommendation 19.4: Training for lawyers – Social Services

DSS should provide regular training on the core duties and responsibilities to be set out in the Legal Practice Standards which should include:

an emphasis on the duty to avoid any compromise to their integrity and professional independence and the challenges that may be presented to a government lawyer in fulfilling that obligation appropriate statutory and case authority references in advice writing

Recommendation 19.5: Draft advice – Social Services

DSS should issue a further direction providing that, if the administering agency decides that a draft advice need not be provided in final form, that decision and the reasons for it must be documented. One of those steps – finalisation, or a documented decision against finalisation – should have been taken within three months of the receipt of the draft advice.

Recommendation 19.6: Draft advice – Services Australia

Services Australia should issue a direction that legal advice is to be left in draft form only to the extent that the administrative step of finalising it has not yet been undertaken by lawyers or there are remaining questions to be answered in relation to the issues under consideration and that, if the administering agency decides that a draft advice need not be provided in final form, that decision and the reasons for it must be documented. One of those steps – finalisation, or a documented decision against finalisation – should have been taken within three months of the receipt of the draft advice.

Recommendation 19.7: The Directions 1

The Legal Services Directions 2017 should be reviewed and simplified.

Recommendation 19.8: Office of Legal Services Coordination to assist agencies with significant issues reporting

The OLSC should provide more extensive information and feedback to assist agencies with the significant legal issues process.

Recommendation 19.9: Recording of reporting obligations

The OLSC should ensure a documentary record is made of substantive inquiries made with and responses given by agencies concerning their obligations to report significant issues pursuant to para 3.1 of the Directions.

Recommendation 19.10: The Directions 2

The OLSC should issue guidance material on the obligations to consult on and disclose advice in clause 10 of the Legal Services Directions 2017.

Recommendation 19.11: Resourcing the Office of Legal Services Coordination

The OLSC should be properly resourced to deliver these functions.

Recommendation 19.12: Chief counsel

The Australian Government Legal Service’s General Counsel Charter be amended to place a positive obligation on chief counsel to ensure that the Legal Services Directions 2017 (Cth) are complied with and to document interactions with OLSC about inquiries made, and responses given, concerning reporting obligations under those Directions.

Recommendation 19.13: Review of the Bilateral Management Agreement

The revised Bilateral Management Agreement should set out the requirement to consult on and disclose legal advices between the two agencies where any intersection of work is identified.

Chapter 20 – Administrative Appeals Tribunal

Recommendation 20.1: aat cases with significant legal and policy issues.

Services Australia should put in place a system for identifying AAT1 cases which raise significant legal and policy issues and ensuring that they are brought to the attention of senior DSS and Services Australia officers.

Recommendation 20.2: Training for DHS legal officers

Services Australia legal officers whose duties involve the preparation of advices in relation to AAT1 decisions should receive training which emphasises the requirements of the Standing Operational Statements in relation to appeal recommendations and referral to DSS; Services Australia’s obligations as a model litigant; and the obligation to pay due regard to AAT decisions and directions.

Recommendation 20.3: Identifying significant AAT decisions

DSS should establish, or if it is established, maintain, a system for identifying all significant AAT decisions and bringing them to the attention of its secretary.

Recommendation 20.4: Publication of first instance AAT decisions

The federal administrative review body which replaces the AAT should devise a system for publication on a readily accessible platform of first instance social security decisions which involve significant conclusions of law or have implications for social security policy.

Recommendation 20.5: Administrative Review Council

Re-instate the Administrative Review Council or a body with similar membership and similar functions, with consideration given to a particular role in review of Commonwealth administrative decision-making processes.

Chapter 21 – The Commonwealth Ombudsman

Recommendation 21.1: statutory duty to assist.

A statutory duty be imposed on departmental secretaries and agency chief executive officers to ensure that their department or agency use its best endeavours to assist the Ombudsman in any investigation concerning it, with a corresponding statutory duty on the part of Commonwealth public servants within a department or agency being investigated to use their best endeavours to assist the Ombudsman in the investigation.

Recommendation 21.2: Another power to obtain information

The Ombudsman Act be amended to confer on the Ombudsman a power in equivalent terms to that in s 33(3) of the Auditor-General Act.

Recommendation 21.3: Oversight of the legal services division

Departmental and agency responses to own motion investigations by the Ombudsman should be overseen by the legal services division of the relevant department or agency.

Recommendation 21.4: Log of communications

The Ombudsman maintain a log, recording communications with a department or agency for the purposes of an own motion investigation.

Recommendation 21.5: Powers of referral

The AAT is soon to be replaced by a new administrative review body. S 10A and s 11 of the Ombudsman Act should be amended so as to ensure the Ombudsman has the powers of referral and recommendation of referral in respect of that new administrative review body.

Chapter 23 – Improving the Australian Public Service

Recommendation 23.1: structure of government departments.

The Australian Government should undertake an immediate and full review to examine whether the existing structure of the social services portfolio, and the status of Services Australia as an entity, are optimal.

Recommendation 23.2: Obligations of public servants

The APSC should, as recommended by the Thodey Review, deliver whole-of-service induction on essential knowledge required for public servants.

Recommendation 23.3: Fresh focus on “customer service”

Services Australia and DSS should introduce mechanisms to ensure that all new programs and schemes are developed with a customer centric focus, and that specific testing is done to ensure that recipients are at the forefront of each new initiative.

Recommendation 23.4: Administrative Review Council

The reinstated Administrative Review Council (or similar body) should provide training and develop resources to inform APS members about the Commonwealth administrative law system. (see Automated Decision-Making and the Administrative Appeals Tribunal chapters)

Recommendation 23.5: “Knowledge College”

The Commonwealth should explore the feasibility of establishing an internal college within Services Australia to provide training and development to staff linked to the skills and knowledge required to undertake their duties.

Recommendation 23.6: Front-line Service

SES staff at Services Australia should spend some time in a front-line service delivery role and with other community partnerships.

Recommendation 23.7: Agency heads being held to account

The Public Service Act should be amended to make it clear that the Australian Public Service Commissioner can inquire into the conduct of former Agency Heads. Also, the Public Service Act should be amended to allow for a disciplinary declaration to be made against former APS employees and former Agency Heads.

Recommendation 23.8: Documenting decisions and discussions

The Australian Public Service Commission should develop standards for documenting important decisions and discussions, and the delivery of training on those standards.

Closing observations

Section 34 of the cth foi act should be repealed.

The Commonwealth Cabinet Handbook should be amended so that the description of a document as a Cabinet document is no longer itself justification for maintaining the confidentiality of the document. The amendment should make clear that confidentiality should only be maintained over any Cabinet documents or parts of Cabinet documents where it is reasonably justified for an identifiable public interest reason.

Crest

Final Report

The final report was first published on 29 September 2023. Subsequently, minor corrections were made and an updated report was published on 2 November 2023. The corrections are listed in the Corrigendum.

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Stuart Robert and Scott Morrison in parliament in 2020

Robodebt royal commission final report: key findings on Scott Morrison, Stuart Robert, Kathryn Campbell and Alan Tudge

The royal commission report has levelled strong criticism of the three former ministers and senior public servant. Here are the main points from the inquiry’s findings

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The royal commission’s report is scathing of the former prime minister Scott Morrison , former government services minister Stuart Robert and former department of human services secretary Kathryn Campbell.

Here are the key criticisms made in the report about each of the key government figures in the robodebt scheme.

  • Scott Morrison

The commissioner, Catherine Holmes, directly criticised Morrison in her report for not making proper inquiries in his role as social services minister about why his department went back on its 2015 suggestion that income averaging required legislative change.

It’s a key question because income averaging – the often false assumption that someone’s yearly income can be spread evenly across Centrelink’s 26 fortnightly reporting periods – is at the heart of robodebt’s injustice and illegality, leading to flawed debt calculations and untold damage.

Holmes said it was “obvious” that Morrison should have asked about the sudden change. The failure to ask about it led to cabinet being misled, she found.

Morrison also failed in his ministerial responsibility, the report said.

Mr Morrison allowed cabinet to be misled because he did not make that obvious inquiry. He took the proposal to cabinet without necessary information as to what it actually entailed and without the caveat that it required legislative and policy change to permit the use of the ATO PAYG data in the way proposed in circumstances where: he knew that the proposal still involved income averaging; only a few weeks previously he had been told of that caveat; nothing had changed in the proposal; and he had done nothing to ascertain why the caveat no longer applied. He failed to meet his ministerial responsibility to ensure that Cabinet was properly informed about what the proposal actually entailed and to ensure that it was lawful.

Holmes said the commission “rejects as untrue” Morrison’s evidence that income averaging was an established practice and a “foundational way” in which the department of human services worked.

In a statement on Friday afternoon, Morrison flatly rejected the report’s findings in relation to his involvement.

“I reject completely each of the findings which are critical of my involvement in authorising the scheme and are adverse to me,” the statement said. “They are wrong, unsubstantiated and contradicted by clear documentary evidence presented to the commission.”

He said he had “acted in good faith and on clear and deliberate Department advice that no legislation was required to introduce the scheme”.

Morrison said he had “no reason to question the veracity” of advice that legislation was not required.

“There is no evidence before the commission which establishes that I was responsible for the departments ceasing in their duties to stop giving frank or candid advice to me regarding the need for legislative change,” he said.

  • Stuart Robert

Robert, the government services minister during the final period of robodebt, was also strongly criticised by the royal commission.

Robert claimed in evidence to the commission that he attempted to end the scheme as soon as possible and had serious concerns about income averaging. The royal commission rejected parts of his evidence, saying:

[The] weight of the evidence is strongly against Mr Robert’s having given any instruction to [secretary of human services] Ms Leon on 7 or 8 November 2019 to cease income averaging as a sole or partial basis for debt raising. What seems to have happened at the meeting on 8 November 2019 was a canvassing of options. It is reasonable to suppose that Mr Robert still hoped to salvage the Robodebt Scheme in some respects.

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Robert was also criticised for using false figures about robodebt’s accuracy to publicly defend the scheme. Robert told the royal commission he was publicly praising the scheme, despite having private reservations about it, out of cabinet solidarity.

But the royal commission said:

It can be accepted that the principles of Cabinet solidarity required Mr Robert to publicly support Cabinet decisions, whether he agreed with them or not. But Mr Robert was not expounding any legal position, and he was going well beyond supporting government policy. He was making statements of fact as to the accuracy of debts, citing statistics which he knew could not be right. Nothing compels ministers to knowingly make false statements, or statements which they have good reason to suspect are untrue, in the course of publicly supporting any decision or program.

In a response on Friday afternoon Robert maintained that he had tried to have robodebt shut down.

“As the minister that worked hard to get the legal advice and close down the income compliance scheme I welcome the [royal commission] report and its sensible recommendations.”

Kathryn Campbell

The royal commission report is scathing of Campbell, the former department of human services secretary, on multiple points.

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Ms Campbell had been responsible for a department that had established, implemented and maintained an unlawful program. When exposed to information that brought to light the illegality of income averaging, she did nothing of substance. When presented with opportunities to obtain advice on the lawfulness of that practice, she failed to act.

It was damning of her handling of the policy proposal for robodebt that went to cabinet’s powerful expenditure review committee in 2015.

The policy proposal said nothing of income averaging or of the need for legislative change, despite prior advice from the Department of Social Services that such change would be needed.

The report found Campbell knew of both the intended use of income averaging and the DSS advice that legislative change was needed, but did nothing to change the policy proposal that went to government.

It found she did so because she knew Morrison wanted to “pursue the proposal and that the government could not achieve the savings” that were promised without income averaging.

In oral evidence, Ms Campbell accepted that the NPP [new policy proposal] was apt to mislead Cabinet. She contended that her failure to eliminate its misleading effect was an “oversight.” That would be an extraordinary oversight for someone of Ms Campbell’s seniority and experience. The weight of the evidence instead leads to the conclusion that Ms Campbell knew of the misleading effect of the NPP but chose to stay silent, knowing that Mr Morrison wanted to pursue the proposal and that the Government could not achieve the savings which the NPP promised without income averaging.

It was also scathing of her handling of a request for legal advice about robodebt, made by the acting secretary, Barry Jackson, while she was on leave in early 2017. Campbell returned from leave and “instructed DHS officers” to cease responding to Jackson’s request for legal advice.

The Commission finds that Ms Campbell instructed DHS officers to cease the process of responding to Mr Jackson’s request for advice, motivated by a concern that the unlawfulness of the Scheme might be exposed to the Ombudsman in the course of its investigation.

It also found that she knew her statements that there had “been no change to how we assess income or calculate and recover debts”, a key deflection used to defend the scheme, were false. She knew that because Colleen Taylor, a frontline Centrelink staffer, had told her in forensic detail why it was wrong and expressed concerns she was “being misled”.

When Ms Taylor expressly brought the falsity of that statement to her attention on 7 February 2017, Ms Campbell took no steps to correct it. Ms Campbell accepted that the persons to whom she had delegated the review of Ms Taylor’s complaints had not followed up and addressed them in any systematic way. The responsibility was hers, but she took no further action.

Campbell has been approached for comment.

Tudge was the human services minister in 2017 when the robodebt scheme was facing national scrutiny. The royal commission was damning of his handling of the controversy, describing some of his actions as a reprehensible “abuse of power”.

Holmes found that Tudge was “not open to considering any significant alteration, or cessation, of processes underlying those fundamental features”.

Holmes found Tudge used “information about social security recipients in the media to distract from and discourage commentary about the scheme’s problems represented an abuse of that power”.

As a minister, Mr Tudge was invested with a significant amount of public power. Mr Tudge’s use of information about social security recipients in the media to distract from and discourage commentary about the scheme’s problems represented an abuse of that power. It was all the more reprehensible in view of the power imbalance between the minister and the cohort of people upon whom it would reasonably be expected to have the most impact, many of whom were vulnerable and dependent on the department, and its minister, for their livelihood.

Holmes accepted that Tudge believed he was “bound by the cabinet decision to implement them, but that did not mean he could not have investigated the problems with them and raised any concerns with the appropriate senior minister”.

On Friday Tudge said he rejected the findings about the way he used the media and the alleged abuse of power “in the strongest terms”.

“At no stage did I seek to engage in a media strategy that would discourage legitimate criticism of the scheme. It is part of a minister’s role to publicly defend government policy when that policy is subject to criticism.”

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royal commission report

SA Government implements findings from Royal Commission, releasing report

by Freya Lucas

royal commission report

The South Australian Government has announced “an unprecedented investment of $56 million” to develop and support the early childhood education and care (ECEC) workforce in response to the findings from its Royal Commission into Early Childhood Education and Care .

A large part of the $56 million will be directed towards scholarships to grow the workforce. Importantly, this investment will see many early childhood workers upskill to become early childhood teachers.

The workforce implementation measures aim to shore up the pool of available educators and teachers to cater for three-year-old preschool and expanded Out of Hours School Care.

“This is an exciting reform that will lead the nation. It builds upon our existing investment into improving government preschool facilities and out of hours care, providing families with greater options and a higher quality of education and care,” SA’s Education Minister Blair Boyer said.

“The urgent task of building the early childhood workforce pipeline will require collaboration with universities, TAFE and other vocational education and training providers,” he added.

“To lead this work, Kim Little has been appointed as the Chief Executive of the newly created Office for Early Childhood Development. Ms Little is a national expert in early childhood, having led the introduction of three-year-old preschool in Victoria.”

“Increasing workforce participation is a key ambition of these reforms, with three-year-old preschool and more families having access to OSHC at the heart of ensuring more parents are able to work.”

All told, the SA Government will reform across eight areas to increase the availability and quality of early childhood services and supports, with greater flexibility for families. Some of these reforms include:

  • Investing in Aboriginal children
  • From 2024, three-year-old Aboriginal children, as well as children in care, at government-operated preschools will be offered 15 hours of preschool, up from 12 hours.
  • Working with Aboriginal communities to co-design and deliver a range of strategies so Aboriginal children receive increased benefits from three-year-old preschool.
  • Improving Out of School Hours Care (OSHC)
  • Improving access to government OSHC, including for students with disabilities and complex needs
  • Modernising OSHC qualification requirements

“Our goal is to strengthen the connection between families and preschool programs, health and support services so fewer South Australian children are starting school developmentally vulnerable,” Mr Boyer explained.

“The Royal Commission told us quality early learning programs can have a significant and lasting impact on children from disadvantaged contexts above the gains observed for other children. We are acting now to improve future outcomes for our most vulnerable children.”

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Closing the Gap plans disappoint First Nations people with disabilities, advocates say

Daniel sits in a black shirt and thick black glasses surrounded by Indigenous art

When Daniel McDonald severely cut his feet at home, and started bleeding heavily, his first instinct was to call an ambulance. He couldn’t.  

"How am I going to call 000? What am I going to do?" Daniel said.  

"I wasn't able to access the TTY machine, how was I supposed to message the ambulance? There were so many barriers," he said.

"I didn't know what I could do."

A TTY machine is a teletypewriter phone which has a screen above the number pad which fits two lines of text. The National Relay Service (NRS) offers SMS, Skype and other services for deaf people in an emergency.

Availability times for NRS video calls with relay officers, who are trained to help with interpreting, are limited to business hours.

Daniel paints a painting on an easel which is reflected back by a mirror

"I was extremely lucky that my partner was home, and they were able to call the ambulance," he said, adding that he could not walk because of his injury.  

"I could have died in this situation."

What happened next for the Wonnarua man involved a 'traumatic' 78-hour wait in a Sydney hospital and confusion over surgery on his feet.  

Two bandaged feet in black sandels

In immense pain, he was eventually sent in for surgery and received 38 stitches in both feet.  

"I saw many people going in before me," he said.  

"I was starving, they didn't provide me any food.

"I expected an interpreter would be provided, and no interpreter was provided the whole time that I was there."

No additional disability funding announced

Daniel said he believes First Nations people with a disability are being overlooked when it comes to funding to improve their everyday lives. 

On Tuesday the government tabled the 2024 Closing the Gap Implementation Plan in Parliament — a strategy based on last year’s report that found only four out of 19 Closing the Gap targets were on track. 

The only 'Key Action' on disability stated in the plan for 2024 was that the government will 'undertake due consideration of recommendations of the Disability Royal Commission and the NDIS Review as they relate to improving outcomes for First Nations people with disability'.

No additional funding was announced for the sector.  

man with blue jumper and red tie speaking into a podium microphone.

Closing the Gap targets were first committed to by the Rudd government in 2008.  

In 2020, state and territory governments alongside the federal government signed up to a new National Closing the Gap agreement, and investing in the disability sector was marked as a priority.   

Despite this, Worimi man and First Peoples Disability Network CEO Damian Griffis said advocates are concerned there has never been significant investment for disability under the framework.  

"After all it is difficult to think of any more disadvantaged Australians than Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with disability," he said. 

"Because they often face discrimination based on race and ableism."

Daniel painting on an easel

The Minister for Social Services, Amanda Rishworth said in a statement to the ABC that in the 2023 Federal Budget the government invested $8.6 million in First Nations Disability measures. 

"All governments have agreed disability is to be actioned across all socio-economic targets and outcome areas," the statement read.

Nearly a quarter of all First Nations Australians live with a disability (or around 140,000 out of 581,000), according to 2018 data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare . 

Mr Griffis is concerned disability continues to be framed as a health issue when disability needs are intersectional across all sectors of community.  

"It’s also an education issue, it’s an employment issue, it’s an issue in Australian prisons ... it’s an issue of accessible housing," he said.  

"It’s not appropriate to frame disability as a health issue."

The back of Daniels head while he paints an Indigenous artwork

Mr Griffis said many Aboriginal community-controlled organisations are battling against a "governments are the experts" assumption, which goes against the very principles of shared decision making in the 2020 National Agreement. 

He wants to see $10 million invested each year into First Nations organisations to enable them to run their own disability services. 

"They know themselves what they need to be able to participate in their own communities... That need is long overdue. The ideas and solutions are already there," said Mr Griffis.  

'Being ignored is like bullying'

A young Daniel smiles at the camera wearing toy antennas

Daniel McDonald said it was 'extremely hard' to communicate with healthcare workers during his recent hospital visit, even though they asked him if he was Aboriginal and if he had a disability.  

With staff all wearing masks, he said it was impossible for him to lip read. 

"No extra consideration was given to these facts," he said. 

But being 'left languishing' at the 'end of the queue' is nothing new for Daniel.  

"We desperately need things to change.

"I feel like I'm a bird locked in a cage. And we're ignored," Daniel said.

He said it feels like 'every once in a while' governments will give him 'a bit of food' to survive. 

Four children in school uniform and two adults pose for a photo smiling

He said governments and institutions do not give people like him the chance to be let out of the cage and “be free to fly.” 

"We need to think of a better way, for education, for employment, in the workplace," he said. 

"I can kind of be isolated doing my work on the computer — a few gestural signs and that's it and everybody else is talking and socialising. I can feel quite left out."  

Daniel likens being ignored by community, colleagues, institutions and governments to a 'kind of bullying'.

Daniel said he is frustrated that he hasn’t seen enough change in the disability sector in his lifetime.  

"We're just stuck at the moment," he said.

"Our access needs aren't being met."

Daniel as a child wearing a blonde curly wig and red dress

Governments 'failing' on Closing the Gap 

As of June last year, more than half the 19 targets were not on track to be met and four target areas were going backwards. This is including an increase in Indigenous suicide, the numbers of adults in prison and children in out-of-home care, as well as worsening outcomes in Indigenous childhood development.   

It follows the  Productivity Commission's damning first review of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap last week that found state and federal governments were "failing" to implement what has been promised. 

In Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s address, he acknowledged the issues of the past and said all levels of government need to do better and listen to First Nations communities.  

"If we want to Close the Gap, we have to listen to people who live on the other side of it," said the prime minister.  

An aerial view of the township of Coober Pedy

The new funding announcements in Tuesday's implementation plan included:  

$707 million investment in a new Remote Jobs and Economic Development Program that will create 3,000 jobs in remote communities, replacing the Community Development Program (CDP)  

$30.2 million for Remote Training Hubs in up to seven locations 

$10.7 million to continue funding for the Justice Policy Partnership 

Community wi-fi services for around 20 remote communities 

$24 million to expand the Junior Rangers program to 50 sites  

The Commonwealth also announced it would deliver six new dialysis units in the following locations: Coober Pedy and Yalata (SA), Balgo (WA), and Atitjere (Harts Range), Borroloola and Ti Tree (NT). 

In addition, the prime minister announced a new National Commissioner for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People will be established, with an interim national commissioner appointed this year.  

Opposition leader Peter Dutton renewed calls for a royal commission into child sexual abuse in Indigenous communities and proposed an audit of the money being spent on Indigenous programs. 

Anthony Albanese acknowledged the disappointment of the failed Voice to Parliament referendum but said the government will continue to work with Indigenous communities. 

"Decades of insisting that government knows best has made things worse. We must find a better way and we must find it together," he said.

Editor's note (25/02/2024): The ABC has updated this article for clarification as to why the talent could not contact emergency services. There are many ways to contact emergency services via the National Relay Service for people who are deaf or hard of hearing as outlined above.

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Veterans' claims backlog elimination imminent

Release details

Release type, related ministers and contacts, the hon matt keogh mp.

Minister for Defence Personnel

Minister for Veterans’ Affairs

Media contact

[email protected]

Stephanie Mathews on  0407 034 485

Release content

13 February 2024

The Albanese Government was elected on a commitment to properly resource the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) to eliminate the unacceptable backlog of veteran compensation claims.

In the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide’s Interim Report, serious concerns were raised about how the claims backlog - which was at 42,000 in mid-May 2022 – was detrimental to the mental health of veterans.

Thanks to the Albanese Government’s increased staffing and resources for DVA, all new initial liability and incapacity claims are now allocated for processing within a two week timeframe – effectively eliminating this part of the backlog and a return to business as usual levels.

As at 31 January 2024, the total number of claims yet to be allocated to a delegate has fallen to 3,697.

DVA is also on track to clear the remaining backlog of Permanent Impairment claims before the end of February so they too reach a business as usual rate of allocation.

The Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide set a deadline to clear the backlog of compensation claims by 31 March 2024. Thanks to the Albanese Government’s investments in 500 additional claims processing staff and in ICT, this target will be exceeded.

Eliminating the claims backlog is a huge step in the right direction and the staff in DVA are to be commended for their tireless work.

DVA’s claims workforce is continuing to work on processing veterans’ claims as quickly as possible.

While more claims continue to be lodged every day, in November a record 9,800 claims determinations were made which means veterans and families are receiving the support they need, sooner.

DVA is now shifting to a new business as usual working model, aiming to allocate all claims to a processing officer within two weeks of receipt.

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Sky News Australia

Aged care Royal Commission report a ‘black and white description’ of Coalition’s ‘failure’

A ged Care Minister Anika Wells says the Royal Commission report into her sector was a “black and white description” of the Coalition’s “failure”.

The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety was established in October, 2018, with the goal of assessing whether the services were meeting the needs of the community and how they could be improved.

“In two weeks it will be the third anniversary of the Royal Commission into the Aged Care Quality and Safety’s final report,” Ms Wells said during Question Time on Thursday.

“A report that described the aged care system under the Coalition’s lead as a shocking tale of neglect and one which was unkind and uncaring.

“Among the many dark themes that were to emerge was that workers were systematically underpaid, and undervalued – that low wages and poor employment conditions meant that he sector struggled to attract and retain well-skilled people.”

Aged care Royal Commission report a ‘black and white description’ of Coalition’s ‘failure’

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IMAGES

  1. Care, Dignity and Respect. Final Report. Vol. I (Royal Commission into

    royal commission report

  2. Years of reform ahead as Banking Royal Commission reports

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  3. The banking royal commission report has finally been released, so what

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  4. Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety

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  5. Royal Commission Report Released

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  6. Aged Care Royal Commission report: key take outs

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COMMENTS

  1. Final Report

    The report was submitted to the Governor-General on 1 February 2019 and tabled in the Australian Parliament on 4 February 2019. It identifies issues, causes and responses for misconduct in the banking, superannuation and financial services industry.

  2. Final Report

    Final Report The Royal Commission has made 222 recommendations on how to improve laws, policies, structures and practices to ensure a more inclusive and just society that supports the independence of people with disability and their right to live free from violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation.

  3. Final Report

    The Final Report was presented to the Governor-General on 26 February 2021, and tabled in the Australian Parliament on 1 March 2021. The Royal Commissioners made a total of 148 recommendations focused on a wide range of areas. Volume 1 provides the background to the Royal Commission's inquiry, explains how it was conducted, presents a summary ...

  4. Final Report of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety

    Royal Commission established On 8 October 2018, the Governor-General issued the Letters Patent establishing the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety (the Royal Commission). The Letters Patent outlined the key areas of inquiry and appointed two Royal Commissioners: Justice Joseph McGrath (Chair) and Ms Lynelle Briggs.

  5. Four key takeaways from the aged care royal commission's final report

    The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety's final report has laid out an extensive plan to overhaul Australia's aged care system. Among the 148 recommendations, the report calls for a new system underpinned by a rights-based Act, funding based on need, and much stronger regulation and transparency.

  6. The disability royal commission recommendations could fix some of the

    The Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability has shared its final report. In this series, we unpack what the commission's 222 recommendations ...

  7. Download the report

    The report, Ko tō tātou kāinga tēnei: Royal Commission of Inquiry into the terrorist attack on Christchurch masjidain on 15 March 2019, was released to the public on 8 December 2020. Update: 10 December 2020 Since the report was delivered to the Governor-General, additional information about section 15 orders has been added across the report.

  8. Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety

    This report provided 148 recommendations to significantly reform the aged care sector. Read our response to the recommendations. Royal Commission reports. The Royal Commission has delivered: an interim report a special report on COVID-19 in aged care, tabled in the Australian Parliament on 1 October 2020

  9. Robodebt royal commission report handed down

    The royal commission's report was also scathing of the former government services minister Stuart Robert and former Department of Human Services secretary Kathryn Campbell.

  10. 'The culmination of years of suffering': what can we expect from the

    On Friday, the Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme will submit its final report to the federal government, which is expected to release it to the public shortly thereafter.

  11. Robodebt royal commission final report: what did it find and what will

    The commission's 900-page report released on Friday found the "cruel and crude" scheme was "devised without regard to the social security law" using an averaging process to estimate welfare...

  12. Why royal commissions don't always solve the problem

    Mar 5, 2021 - 11.48am. The significant split between the commissioners of the long-awaited aged care report has again raised questions about the effectiveness of royal commissions to look at and ...

  13. Aged care Royal Commission report a 'black and white description' of

    Aged Care Minister Anika Wells says the Royal Commission report into her sector was a "black and white description" of the Coalition's "failure". The Royal Commission into Aged Care ...

  14. The royal commission's final report has landed

    The royal commission's final report has landed - now to make sure there is an adequate redress scheme Published: December 17, 2017 2:22pm EST Ben Mathews , Queensland University of Technology

  15. Report

    Home Publications Report Report Publication date 7 July 2023 Prepared by The Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme Download Full Report [PDF] Full Report [DOCX] Volume 1 [PDF] Volume 2 [PDF] Volume 3 [PDF] Corrigendum [PDF] The report was first published on 7 July 2023.

  16. Royal commission

    Federal Royal Commission in the matter of an inquiry into a statement that there was a document missing from the official files in relation to "The Brisbane Line" (1943) Royal Commission on loss of HMAS Voyager (1964), investigated the collision between HMAS Melbourne and HMAS Voyager

  17. Final Report

    The final report was first published on 29 September 2023. Subsequently, minor corrections were made and an updated report was published on 2 November 2023.

  18. Robodebt royal commission final report: key findings on Scott Morrison

    The royal commission report has levelled strong criticism of the three former ministers and senior public servant. Here are the main points from the inquiry's findings Follow live updates on the ...

  19. Home

    Report: Royal Commission of Inquiry into the terrorist attack on Christchurch masjidain on 15 March 2019 . Ko tō tātou kāinga tēnei is a comprehensive response to the Royal Commission's Terms of Reference. The report was presented to the Governor-General on 26 November 2020. The Minister of Internal Affairs presented the report to ...

  20. The Report

    Questions about the Royal Commission of Inquiry Terms of Reference Updates The Report Display The Report submenu pages. Acknowledgments and Foreword Executive summary Purpose and process ...

  21. SA Gov announces unprecedented investment in early years

    The South Australian Government has announced "an unprecedented investment of $56 million" to develop and support the early childhood education and care (ECEC) workforce in response to the findings from its Royal Commission into Early Childhood Education and Care.. A large part of the $56 million will be directed towards scholarships to grow the workforce.

  22. Closing the Gap plans disappoint First Nations people with disabilities

    Opposition leader Peter Dutton renewed calls for a royal commission into child sexual abuse in Indigenous communities and proposed an audit of the money being spent on Indigenous programs.

  23. Veterans' claims backlog elimination imminent

    The Albanese Government was elected on a commitment to properly resource the Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) to eliminate the unacceptable backlog of veteran compensation claims. In the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide's Interim Report, serious concerns were raised about how the claims backlog - which was at 42,000 in mid-May 2022 - was detrimental to the mental ...

  24. [4K] Walking Streets Moscow. Moscow-City

    Walking tour around Moscow-City.Thanks for watching!MY GEAR THAT I USEMinimalist Handheld SetupiPhone 11 128GB https://amzn.to/3zfqbboMic for Street https://...

  25. Urban development plan / Urban development plan / Moscow City Web Site

    In 1813, the Commission on Moscow Construction was set up to restore the city after the fire of 1812. It completed a plan in 1817, and it became the basis for thorough reconstruction. Up until 1917, when Moscow development entered a new phase, construction projects in the city followed the plan guidelines and were dominated by the principles of ...

  26. Aged care Royal Commission report a 'black and white ...

    A ged Care Minister Anika Wells says the Royal Commission report into her sector was a "black and white description" of the Coalition's "failure".. The Royal Commission into Aged Care ...

  27. Drone hits Moscow tower block housing Russian government offices

    Others have hit buildings in suburban areas. Last week, drones crashed into more centrally located buildings, including an office block, and on the night of July 30, the drones damaged the facades ...