The Prime Minister has apologised to people who financially suffered because of the Government’s failed robodebt scheme, saying he regrets any hardship that was caused as a result of the program, ABC News reports.
The Government announced at the end of May it was scrapping the scheme and would pay back $721 million worth of debts raised.
“I would apologise for any hurt or harm in the way that the Government has dealt with that issue and to anyone else who has found themselves in those situations,” Scott Morrison said.
“The business of raising and recovering debts on behalf of taxpayers is a difficult job.
“Of course I would deeply regret any hardship that has been caused to people in the conduct of that activity.”
The scheme saw hundreds of thousands of people issued with computer-generated debt notices, some of which made demands for payment from people who did not owe the Government any money.
The apology came after Federal Attorney-General Christian Porter said he could not apologise because of ongoing litigation over the scheme.
“The system was flawed. I’m not going to use that word because … as Attorney-General I can’t use the sort of language in the context of the litigation,” he said on Insiders on Sunday.
Mr Morrison’s apology was also more sombre than his response to the same question a day earlier of whether he would apologise for the scheme.
FULL STORY
Prime Minister apologises for ‘any hurt or harm’ caused by robodebt scheme (ABC News)
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