The Morrison Government has for months been denying its pet scheme is illegal but today that house of make believe has been torn down.

For months Robodebt Minister Stuart Robert has denied the stand-over scheme was unfair, inaccurate or illegal.

When he put the emergency brakes on the scheme he said it was only “a refinement” affecting a “small cohort”.

Only when confronted with the prospect of 470,000 quiet Australians getting their day in court has this Government embarked on a backflip for the ages.

They have been dragged kicking and screaming to do the right thing by the Australians they ripped off.

They are only doing this now to keep their Ministers out of the witness box.

This sneaky Friday afternoon take-out-the-trash moment with the Minister hiding out on the Gold Coast does not end the class action trial which is just weeks away.

At $721 million this is already the biggest class action settlement in Australian legal history – and it is not settled yet.

They will still have to account to the families who lost adult children to suicide because of Robodebt, and for the various other harms, stresses and inconveniences caused.

For Stuart Robert, sorry seems to be the hardest word. He should immediately front the Australian public and apologise to the multitude of Robodebt victims who have suffered so much because of this scandal.

FRIDAY, 29 MAY 2020

MEDIA CONTACT: LIAM HOULIHAN 0438 366 400