Stuart Robert said ‘we will double down’ after being advised robodebt was unlawful, inquiry told

Former human services secretary says Coalition minister told her ‘legal advice is just advice’ when briefed on solicitor general’s opinion on scheme’s legality

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The former government services minister, Stuart Robert, told the boss of his department the Coalition would “double down” after he was informed the robodebt scheme was unlawful, a royal commission has been told.

Fronting the high-profile inquiry on Tuesday, Renee Leon, the former human services secretary, revealed she was forced to stop the scheme before the government agreed, amid the cascading personal legal risks of continuing to administer the program.

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