Commissioner Holmes’ Revolution? Robodebt, Transparency and Record Creation

Darren O’Donovan

The Final Report of the Robodebt Royal Commission was released on 7 July 2023, in a landmark moment for Australian public administration. The report makes searing findings against senior public servants and politicians. In this post I discuss how, in her report, Commissioner Catherine Holmes AC SC effectively inverts a generation of public service thinking about cabinet confidentiality and the duty to give frank and fearless advice. I argue that the Report’s final two recommendations – suggesting reform to cabinet confidentiality and record creation – are the lynchpins for successful public service reform after Robodebt.