Officials given chance to ‘effectively co-write’ report into department’s handling of robodebt, inquiry told

The ombudsman’s 2017 report into robodebt made criticisms of the scheme’s processes but generally found that its aims and approach were appropriate. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian

Government officials believed they were given the opportunity to “effectively co-write” a federal watchdog’s report into the robodebt scheme, a royal commission into the scheme has been told.

The commonwealth ombudsman was investigating the Centrelink debt recovery program at the height of the robodebt scandal in early 2017. Its final report failed to raise any concern about the unlawfulness of the program.