A former coalition minister and government departments failed to properly consider the personal heartbreak and harm stemming from the illegal robodebt scheme.
The former head of the independent watchdog which investigated the agencies responsible for the robodebt program will be questioned by the royal commission.Â
Concerns about the legality of the income averaging at the heart of the robodebt scheme were dampened by the understanding it had been "used for a long time by governments of both colours", the royal commission has been told.
A former minister in charge of robodebt has denied responsibility for his department's failure to check the legality of the scheme and said he still believed it was lawful in the face of mounting issues.
Former foreign minister Marise Payne has told a royal commission into robodebt she doesn't know how early concerns over the scheme's legality were left out of later policy documents.
The federal government has apologised to Australian veterans and their families for failings in the way the defence forces and veterans affairs department have operated.
This letter writer argues the government, Defence and DVA have known about the abuse, bullying and sexual assaults and so many other criminal acts for decades but have done nothing to protect those who have done so much to protect them.
A former sailor who endured years of sexual abuse and harassment, plus bullying by her navy bosses, says she felt so "dehumanised" she was too frightened to seek help, even after attempting suicide.
More evidence of lacking support for struggling defence force veterans and their families is due to be presented to a royal commission underway in Canberra.
A royal commission into defence and veteran suicide will launch its latest series of hearings in Canberra just a short distance from the Australian War Memorial which pays tribute to military members who have lost their lives.
