ZANETA MASCARENHAS MP

FEDERAL MEMBER FOR SWAN

MEMBER STATEMENT

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

COMMONWEALTH PARLIAMENT OF AUSTRALIA

1 AUGUST 2023

The real victims of Robodebt

Two and half thousand.

What does this number mean, Mr Speaker?

The approximate number of Robodebt victims from Swan.

Two and a half thousand people.

Vulnerable people, who suffered because of Robodebt.

Two and half thousand people who suffered because of a system overseen by the Member for Cook (Scott Morrison).

They are the real victims.

Not the Member for Cook!

Who tried yesterday to portray himself as the victim in all of this.

Well guess what, it’s not all about him.

The Member for Cook is not the victim here!

The Member for Cook says it’s not his fault.

Let me tell the Member for Cook, he is the one that failed as a Minister!

The Member for Cook is the one that ignored the concerns!

The Member for Cook is the one that allowed Robodebt to go ahead!

It is the Member for Cook’s fault!

The Royal Commission said so.

And yet Mr Speaker, the Member for Cook will not take responsibility.

Even his own party are telling him to own up to it!

I tell the Member for Cook - take responsibility for your actions!

That’s what leadership looks like.

But that’s a lesson that still has not been learnt.

Robodebt was wrong.

And two and a half thousand people in Swan know it.

It was cruel.

It was a tragedy.

It should never have happened and must not happen again.