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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Luke Henriques-Gomes

How Morrison launched Australia’s ‘strong welfare cop’ – and the pain robodebt left in its wake

Scott Morrison Centrelink Justin Greggery KC Cassandra Goldie Ray Hadley Department of Human Services
Scott Morrison in 2GB studio
Scott Morrison repeatedly used the phrase ‘welfare cop’ on talkback radio in 2015 in relation to what became the robodebt scheme. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

Scott Morrison was clearly a man on a new mission in January 2015.

“Just like they won’t cop people coming on boats, they are not going to cop people who are going to rort that system,” Morrison said of the social security system he was now responsible for.

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