Rachelle Miller told the commission in response to growing criticism that the government adopted a counter-narrative strategy in the 'more friendly media' such as the tabloids.
abc.net.au/news/qld-robodebt-scheme-government-royal-commission-alan-tudge/101910064Personal information of Robodebt victims was released to journalists in an effort to deter them from speaking out, a former media adviser to ex-human services minister Alan Tudge has told a royal commission.
Rachelle Miller was Mr Tudge's senior media adviser while he was in charge of the illegal debt recovery program as the human services minister in the Turnbull government from 2016 to 2017. Ms Miller said there was a "proliferation" of negative media coverage in late 2016 that was "growing and growing and growing" but it was "predominantly in the left-wing media".
Counsel assisting Justin Greggery KC asked Ms Miller: "You said the media demand was very high … the media was generally adverse … it was heavily critical. Would you say that… the media situation was in crisis mode?""The prime minister [Malcom Turnbull] was unhappy with the escalating media issue around this [Robodebt] … we were trying to contain it," she said.
Former human services minister Alan Tudge was in charge of the debt recovery program from 2016 to 2017.
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