We said ‘never again’ after the tragic failings of Robodebt. But more than two years after the Robodebt Royal Commission recommended “legislative reform to introduce a consistent legal framework in which automation in government services can operate”, nothing has changed. And once again, vulnerable Australians are asked to trust systems they cannot see or understand.

New automated decision-making (ADM) tools are being rolled out by the Government in aged care, the NDIS and beyond, with little capacity for humans to override decisions made automatically by a computer program.

Experts are warning that these programs are producing problematic and inaccurate outcomes, which is deeply concerning when determining support and life outcomes for the most vulnerable.

Done well, automation can help government make faster and more consistent decisions. But automation without safeguards risks a repeat of Robodebt.

That’s why I’ve launched a clear, legislated framework to govern how ADM is used across government.

Nearly 800 people in Curtin responded to my community survey on ADM. These views, along with expert advice, have informed my new policy paper which proposes a framework to ensure automation delivers decisions that are both fairer and faster. The framework has three pillars.

Transparency

We need increased transparency about how and when ADM systems are used in government. Anyone impacted by an automated decision should be told ADM was used and how it was used. Transparency leads to trust and trust is essential if the Government wants to unlock efficiency gains from further use of ADM.

Decision-level controls

A legislated framework should require risk assessments before automated systems are deployed by government departments and agencies, and stronger safeguards for decisions that are complex and impactful. There should be human accountability and oversight for high-risk use cases.

Review and oversight

There must be independent oversight of ADM, and a clear and efficient process for reporting concerns. The Government should conduct internal testing to ensure ADM tools are getting decisions right.

The use of ADM by Government is only going to increase with the roll-out of artificial intelligence. I will be urging the Government to prioritise legislating a mandatory framework for faster and fairer government decisions.

Click here to read my Fairer and Faster Government Decisions policy paper.