I blew the whistle on robodebt. I experienced firsthand the absence of support for whistleblowers. That is why I am firm in my belief that we need whistleblower reform, now, including the establishment of a Whistleblower Protection Authority.

For most of my career, I have worked for Services Australia. I was on the frontline of the implementation of what became known as robodebt. As I explained in my testimony to the robodebt royal commission, involvement in robodebt was a deeply traumatic experience.

I tried, from the very beginning, when I was part of an initial robodebt pilot, to blow the whistle on the scheme. I immediately saw robodebt for what the royal commission eventually concluded it to be: unlawful and deeply unethical. I thought it should be stopped, to never proceed beyond the pilot.

But when I, and others, raised concerns, we were met with a clear, stark message: resign, transfer or comply. The message was as blunt as that: shut up or leave.

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