Tax officials who raised concerns about robodebt were ‘fobbed off’, inquiry hears

Emails reveal the ATO allowed DHS to clear media statements it provided to journalists who asked about problems with robodebt scheme. Photograph: Tom Compagnoni/AAP

The tax office stonewalled questions from the media despite being aware the annual pay data it provided to the Department of Human Services for the robodebt program was “not fit for purpose”, a royal commission has heard.

Separately, on Monday, two Australian Taxation Office officials, Tyson Fawcett and Michael Kerr-Brown, told a royal commission they had concerns about the way the PAYG data was being used by the department once the robodebt scheme hit the headlines in late 2016.