KEY QUOTES ABOUT THE ROBODEBT ROYAL COMMISSION * "It is remarkable how little interest there seems to have been in ensuring the scheme's legality, how rushed its implementation was, how little thought was given to how it would affect welfare recipients and the lengths to which public servants were prepared to go to oblige ministers on a quest for savings." - Commissioner Catherine Holmes * "The robodebt scheme was a gross betrayal and a human tragedy. It pursued debt recovery against Australians who in many cases had no debt to pay. It was wrong, it was illegal, it should never have happened and it should never happen again." - Prime Minister Anthony Albanese * "The previous government and senior public servants gaslighted the nation and its citizens for four and a half years." - Government Services Minister Bill Shorten * "Today's findings have been a long time coming. Hundreds of thousands of everyday Australians' lives were stuck by this unlawful scheme. They should hopefully feel a sense of justice." - Peter Gordon, senior partner at Gordon Legal, which led the class action lawsuit against the scheme * "The commissioner has issued a very important warning to all of us today that it is wrong for people on low incomes to be used for political ends." - ACOSS chief executive Cassandra Goldie * "We extend our solidarity to every robodebt victim and everyone whose life has been affected by Centrelink recouping funds from those of us who can least afford it. We congratulate the incredible activists who fought the program for years." - Anti-poverty Centre spokeswoman Kristin O'Connell * "Catherine Holmes' thorough and scathing review proves what victims have been saying for years, and how the harm and trauma and deaths could have been avoided if not for the inhumane actions and lack of accountability from the prime minister on down." - Greens social services spokeswoman Janet Rice Australian Associated Press
