Robodebt royal commission: Former Robodebt boss among 12 public servants who breached code of conduct 97 times
Former Robodebt department head Kathryn Campbell is among 12 public servants who breached the code of conduct 97 times, according to a report released by the Robodebt royal commission.
The report found that Campbell, who was the head of the Department of Human Services from 2015 to 2017, breached the code of conduct on 11 occasions.
Other public servants who breached the code of conduct include former deputy secretary of the Department of Human Services, Richard Eccles, who breached the code on 10 occasions, and former general manager of the department's debt recovery operations, Craig Coleman, who breached the code on 18 occasions.
The breaches of the code of conduct include:
- Failing to declare conflicts of interest
- Using public resources for personal gain
- Misleading the public
- Engaging in political activity
- Failing to uphold the APS Values
The report found that the breaches of the code of conduct were "serious" and that they "undermined the public's trust in the APS".
The royal commission has recommended that the government take a number of steps to address the breaches of the code of conduct, including:
- Strengthening the code of conduct
- Improving the training and education of public servants on the code of conduct
- Establishing an independent body to investigate breaches of the code of conduct
- Increasing the penalties for breaches of the code of conduct
The government has accepted the royal commission's recommendations and has committed to implementing them.
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