Kathryn Campbell

Kathryn Jane Campbell, is a former senior Australian public servant and a former officer in the Australian Army Reserve. She was the Secretary of the Department of Human Services from March 2011 to September 2017, which included the infamous illegal Robodebt campaign that harrassed over half a million victims and has since attracted international attention and a class action.

After this role Campbell moved onto the Secretary of the Department of Social Services from September 2017 to July 2021.

As robodebt crisis deepened and the election loomed, Campbell was moved across to Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade from July 2021 to July 2022.

On 4 June 2018, Campbell was additionally announced as the next commander of the 2nd Division on promotion to major general; the first woman to be appointed to the role, in non war, in the defence force.

In 2017 Campbell was summoned to an Australian Senate committee inquiry into the illegal debt recovery system, commonly referred to as ''Robodebt.''''''. A class-action lawsuit was brought against the Australian government which resulted in a $1.7 Billion settlement. The settlement is the largest ever settlement in Australia's history.

Campbell was quoted as shifting blame to victims of Robodebt that "they had not engaged" with Centerlink and thus this was the reason for false calculations and ongoing debt chasing for over 500,000 Australians, all of whom have since had their debts removed and voided.

Career

Between 2005 and 2010, Campbell was Deputy Secretary of the Budget and Financial Management Groups in the Department of Finance and Deregulation, and from 2010 to 2011, Campbell was a Deputy Secretary in the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced Campbell's appointment as Secretary of the Department of Human Services in late December 2010, responsible for delivering the Australian Government's Centrelink, Medicare and Child Support programs, along with a number of smaller programs. Campbell commenced those duties on 7 March 2011.

On 7 September 2017, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced Campbell's appointment as Secretary of the Department of Social Services, commencing 18 September.

On 9 July 2021, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced her appointment as the Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), replacing Frances Adamson.. In June 2022, new Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced that Campbell would be replaced as Secretary of DFAT, with her term concluding on 1 July 2022. Campbell would instead be given "a senior appointment in the Defence portfolio in an AUKUS-related role".

Robodebt (Centrelink debt recovery controversy)

Beginning in 2016, Centrelink became embroiled in a debt recovery controversy. The controversy stemmed from the Online Compliance Program, which was commonly referred to as '' Robodebt.''

The process and algorithm for matching welfare recipients' records against data from the Australian Tax Office began in 2004 and remained unchanged until the Online Compliance Program began.

Appearing before a Senate committee inquiry into the program in March 2017, Campbell stated "The view of the department is that there are a number of refinements that need to be made—those refinements are being made—and that the system should continue."

At a Senate hearing in July 2020, Campbell claimed not to know what Robodebt meant and denied allegations that several welfare recipients had died by suicide as a result of receiving the unlawful automated debt recovery notices.

On 18 August 2022, the Governor-General issued the Letters Patent, which established the Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme. The Royal Commission's final report is to be delivered by 18 April 2023.

Awards

Campbell's awards include;

* University of Southern Queensland 2011 Alumnus of the Year.
* Conspicuous Service Cross (CSC) in June 2010 for outstanding achievement as the Commanding Officer of the Sydney University Regiment,
* Appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in the 2019 Australia Day Honours in recognition of her "distinguished service to public administration through senior roles with government departments, and to the Australian Army Reserve",
* Awarded a Bar to her CSC in the 2022 Australia Day Honours for "outstanding achievement as the Commander of the 2nd Division",

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Campbell, Kathryn
Living people
Year of birth missing (living people)
Place of birth missing (living people)
Australian generals
Australian public servants
Recipients of the Conspicuous Service Cross (Australia)
Officers of the Order of Australia