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Albanese government warned it’s ‘sleepwalking into another robodebt scenario’ over use of algorithms and AI

The federal government is “sleepwalking its way into another robodebt” scandal amid a lack of transparency and legislation around use of algorithms and artificial intelligence in decisions, the chief executive of independent thinktank the Centre for Public Integrity said. Dr Catherine Williams launched the centre’s “Computer Says No” report on Thursday, which examines the use of automated decision-making (ADM) tools by the government and calls for urgent reform. The centre is concerned Australians may not know w…

By the Truvace desk2 min read1 sourceEvidence: Emerging · 42/100 — News report · 1 independent sourceJournalismTRV-2026-2367· cite & verify
Albanese government warned it’s ‘sleepwalking into another robodebt scenario’ over use of algorithms and AI

In brief

The Centre for Public Integrity warned that the federal government is "sleepwalking its way into another robodebt" scandal. Its "Computer Says No" report examines government use of automated decision-making (ADM) tools and calls for urgent reform, including eight recommendations.

The alarm was prompted by the algorithm in the integrated assessment tool (IAT), which sets the level of home support older Australians are entitled to. It has been found to routinely under-assess needs and package entitlements, and assessors are banned from overriding incorrect results.

The attorney general's department has been developing an ADM framework since consultation closed in January 2025, but no draft has been made public and there is no timeline. Independent MP Kate Chaney's private member's bill, introduced in September, would create the first legislated mandatory framework.

Main points

  1. The report calls for a mandatory audit and public register of all government ADM use.
  2. It also recommends an independent oversight body with powers to monitor, audit and investigate government ADM.
  3. The IAT is used to assess home support entitlements for older Australians and has been found to under-assess needs.
  4. Aged care assessors are banned from overriding incorrect algorithmic decisions.
  5. A commonwealth ombudsman report in October found robodebt royal commission transparency recommendations were ignored in developing and rolling out the IAT.
  6. Public consultation on the government's ADM framework ended in January 2025, and the attorney general did not say when a draft will be released.
  7. Kate Chaney introduced a private member's bill in September for a legislated, mandatory ADM framework.

The problem

An algorithm in the aged care integrated assessment tool routinely under-assesses older Australians' home support needs, and assessors are banned from overriding it, with no legislated framework governing government automated decisions.

The rundown

Dr Catherine Williams, chief executive of the Centre for Public Integrity, launched the report on Thursday. She said the centre had watched evidence emerge about the aged care algorithm tool and grown concerned about the lack of a robust framework governing government ADM. The centre also worries Australians may not know whether ADM was used in decisions affecting them.

Attorney general Michelle Rowland did not say when a draft framework would be finished or whether it would be retrospective. She said the government is committed to safe and responsible ADM use and that the framework will implement robodebt royal commission recommendations, with transparency obligations and human oversight. She added that it will also lift productivity and speed up services.

Chaney said departments make ADM decisions with little consistency or transparency, and that the department's consultation "finished almost two years ago". She said automation can deliver public service cost savings but people need to know when decisions are automated and how to seek review.

Sources

  1. JournalismThe Guardian2026-11-04

The debate