305:“It can be readily accepted that as secretary of DSS Mr Pratt was entitled to rely on the expertise of DSS staff in developing draft correspondence for him to sign. However, that does not absolve Mr Pratt of any responsibility to make inquiry before making a public, positive assertion about the lawfulness of an entire Scheme. His Department held legal advice about the Scheme which demonstrated it was unlawful. Mr Pratt was not aware of that advice, but he did not take any steps to inquire about that prior to asserting the legality of the Scheme. He failed to make inquiries to satisfy himself that the representation made with respect to the legality of the Scheme in the letter he signed was correct.
173:
302:
reported that Pratt specifically signed a letter to the
Commonwealth Ombudsman in 2017 saying the scheme was lawful, despite not seeing any legal or policy advice or knowing how it worked. Pratt admitted to the Royal Commission that he did not ask for legal advice before making the recommendation. Specifically, the Royal Commission report states:
308:
The effect of Mr Pratt’s letter to the
Ombudsman was significant. The Ombudsman placed substantial weight on Mr Pratt’s assurance that DSS was satisfied that the Scheme was operating in line with legislative requirements. Both DHS and DSS continued to cite the Ombudsman’s report, including Mr Pratt’s
317:
Pratt was awarded a Public
Service Medal in January 2008 for outstanding public service in the development and implementation of significant and innovative reforms to public employment services and workplace relations in Australia. In June 2015, Pratt was appointed an Officer of the Order
301:
The Royal
Commission reported that Pratt failed to make inquiries about the legality of Robodebt, and that as Secretary he should have. Further, in advising the Ombudsman in 2017 that the scheme was operating legally, Pratt effectively misled the Ombudsman investigation. The Royal Commission also
339:
658:
263:
88:
566:
347:
783:
439:
294:
that
Robodebt scheme was "one headache which wasn't my headache" (even though he was the head of the policy department responsible, including signing said letter to the Ombudsman)
380:
309:
statement as to the Scheme’s meeting legislative requirements, to defend the Scheme. This is outlined in further detail in the chapter – The
Commonwealth Ombudsman.”
788:
291:
that he signed a letter to the
Ombudsman saying his department was satisfied it was operating legally because he "trusted" the advice his officials provided
778:
528:
616:
716:
110:
747:
627:
252:
233:
132:
66:
540:
514:
447:
287:
Pratt was one of the most senior public servants to appear before the Royal
Commission into the Robodebt Scheme. His evidence included:
220:
29:
465:
420:
398:
251:
He was appointed Chief
Executive Officer of Centrelink in September 2008. Finn Pratt was promoted to the role of Secretary of the
224:
33:
245:
188:
529:
https://robodebt.royalcommission.gov.au/system/files/2023-07/report-of-the-royal-commission-into-the-robodebt-scheme.pdf
276:
announced Pratt's appointment as
Secretary of the Department of the Environment and Energy, commencing 18 September .
683:
279:
Pratt retired from office on 11 October 2019 following a 36 year career in the Australian Public Service.
773:
743:
712:
654:
623:
541:"'Not a priority issue for me': Former department secretary tells commission Robodebt was not his problem"
259:
229:
128:
106:
84:
62:
793:
736:
705:
as Secretary of the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs
515:"Finn Pratt confirmed Robodebt's lawfulness despite not taking legal advice, commission hears"
484:
374:
362:
726:
637:
273:
193:
469:
424:
402:
340:"Queen's Birthday Honours: Finn Pratt rewarded for role in historic NDIS social policy"
767:
461:
574:
361:
Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (2011),
647:
228:(born 1960) is a retired senior Australian public servant. He was most recently
416:
394:
182:
172:
500:
659:
Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs
269:
In 2013 he was appointed Secretary of the Department of Social Services.
264:
Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs
89:
Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs
318:
of Australia for his work on the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
567:"Search Australian Honours: PRATT, Finn Axel, Public Service Medal"
421:"Departmental secretaries and statutory office-holders, Canberra"
690:
as Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
297:
that he did not believe he had asked how the scheme worked.
468:(Press release). Australian Government. Archived from
423:(Press release). Australian Government. Archived from
401:(Press release). Australian Government. Archived from
202:
181:
166:
158:
153:
127:
105:
83:
61:
45:
23:
784:Recipients of the Public Service Medal (Australia)
673:as Secretary of the Department of Social Services
527:Royal Commission Report, 7 July 2023, p. 223,
123:18 September 2013 – 17 September 2017
8:
379:: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
145:18 September 2017 – 11 October 2019
584:
440:"Rudd rearranges public service mandarins"
258:In 2011, Pratt moved into the position of
20:
748:Department of the Environment and Energy
272:On 7 September 2017, the Prime Minister
234:Department of the Environment and Energy
133:Department of the Environment and Energy
573:, Australian Government, archived from
501:"Royal Commission into Robodebt Scheme"
327:
600:Chief Executive Officer of Centrelink
372:
333:
331:
244:Pratt has a Bachelor of Arts from the
789:Australian National University alumni
46:Chief Executive Officer of Centrelink
7:
483:Prime Minister of Australia (2019),
779:Officers of the Order of Australia
486:Retirement of Mr Finn Pratt AO PSM
363:"Chapter 12: Corporate Governance"
14:
101:2011 – 18 September 2013
399:"Senior Government Appointments"
171:
446:. Fairfax Media. Archived from
438:Hannon, Kate (13 August 2009).
346:. Fairfax Media. Archived from
246:Australian National University
189:Australian National University
1:
717:Department of Social Services
111:Department of Social Services
628:Department of Human Services
338:Towell, Noel (8 June 2015).
253:Department of Human Services
67:Department of Human Services
810:
466:"Departmental Secretaries"
754:
741:
733:
723:
710:
697:
680:
665:
652:
644:
634:
621:
613:
605:
598:
592:
587:
444:The Sydney Morning Herald
283:Robodebt Royal Commission
210:
149:
138:
116:
94:
72:
50:
41:
16:Australian public servant
489:, Australian Government
369:, Australian Government
367:2010–11 Annual Report
464:(21 December 2010).
427:on 10 November 2013.
405:on 19 February 2015.
397:(9 September 2008).
350:on 21 February 2016.
588:Government offices
577:on 19 February 2015
571:itsanhonour.gov.au
547:. 10 November 2022
472:on 1 January 2014.
450:on 14 August 2009.
419:(13 August 2009).
344:The Canberra Times
762:
761:
755:Succeeded by
737:Gordon de Brouwer
724:Succeeded by
708:
693:
681:Succeeded by
676:
666:Succeeded by
635:Succeeded by
606:Succeeded by
214:
213:
197:
801:
757:David Fredericks
734:Preceded by
727:Kathryn Campbell
702:
698:Preceded by
687:
670:
645:Preceded by
638:Kathryn Campbell
614:Preceded by
593:Preceded by
585:
579:
578:
563:
557:
556:
554:
552:
537:
531:
525:
519:
518:
511:
505:
504:
497:
491:
490:
480:
474:
473:
458:
452:
451:
435:
429:
428:
413:
407:
406:
391:
385:
384:
378:
370:
358:
352:
351:
335:
274:Malcolm Turnbull
227:
198:
191:
176:
175:
154:Personal details
143:
121:
99:
77:
55:
36:
21:
809:
808:
804:
803:
802:
800:
799:
798:
764:
763:
758:
751:
739:
729:
720:
701:
686:
669:
662:
650:
640:
631:
619:
609:
602:
596:
583:
582:
565:
564:
560:
550:
548:
539:
538:
534:
526:
522:
513:
512:
508:
499:
498:
494:
482:
481:
477:
460:
459:
455:
437:
436:
432:
415:
414:
410:
393:
392:
388:
371:
360:
359:
355:
337:
336:
329:
324:
315:
285:
242:
240:Life and career
219:
217:Finn Axel Pratt
187:
170:
144:
139:
122:
117:
100:
95:
78:
73:
56:
51:
37:
28:
26:
17:
12:
11:
5:
807:
805:
797:
796:
791:
786:
781:
776:
766:
765:
760:
759:
756:
753:
740:
735:
731:
730:
725:
722:
709:
699:
695:
694:
682:
678:
677:
667:
664:
651:
646:
642:
641:
636:
633:
620:
617:Helen Williams
615:
611:
610:
607:
604:
597:
594:
590:
589:
581:
580:
558:
532:
520:
506:
492:
475:
462:Gillard, Julia
453:
430:
408:
386:
353:
326:
325:
323:
320:
314:
311:
299:
298:
295:
292:
284:
281:
241:
238:
212:
211:
208:
207:
206:Public servant
204:
200:
199:
185:
179:
178:
168:
164:
163:
160:
156:
155:
151:
150:
147:
146:
136:
135:
125:
124:
114:
113:
103:
102:
92:
91:
81:
80:
70:
69:
59:
58:
48:
47:
43:
42:
39:
38:
27:
24:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
806:
795:
792:
790:
787:
785:
782:
780:
777:
775:
774:Living people
772:
771:
769:
750:
749:
745:
738:
732:
728:
719:
718:
714:
707:
706:
696:
692:
691:
685:
679:
675:
674:
661:
660:
656:
649:
643:
639:
630:
629:
625:
618:
612:
601:
591:
586:
576:
572:
568:
562:
559:
546:
542:
536:
533:
530:
524:
521:
516:
510:
507:
502:
496:
493:
488:
487:
479:
476:
471:
467:
463:
457:
454:
449:
445:
441:
434:
431:
426:
422:
418:
412:
409:
404:
400:
396:
390:
387:
382:
376:
368:
364:
357:
354:
349:
345:
341:
334:
332:
328:
321:
319:
312:
310:
306:
303:
296:
293:
290:
289:
288:
282:
280:
277:
275:
270:
267:
265:
261:
256:
254:
249:
247:
239:
237:
235:
231:
226:
222:
218:
209:
205:
201:
195:
190:
186:
184:
180:
174:
169:
165:
161:
157:
152:
148:
142:
137:
134:
130:
126:
120:
115:
112:
108:
104:
98:
93:
90:
86:
82:
76:
71:
68:
64:
60:
54:
49:
44:
40:
35:
31:
22:
19:
742:
711:
704:
703:
689:
688:
672:
671:
663:2011 – 2013
653:
632:2009 – 2011
622:
608:Carolyn Hogg
603:2008 – 2009
599:
575:the original
570:
561:
549:. Retrieved
544:
535:
523:
509:
495:
485:
478:
470:the original
456:
448:the original
443:
433:
425:the original
411:
403:the original
389:
366:
356:
348:the original
343:
316:
307:
304:
300:
286:
278:
271:
268:
257:
250:
243:
216:
215:
140:
118:
96:
74:
52:
18:
794:1960 births
648:Jeff Harmer
595:Jeff Whalan
417:Rudd, Kevin
395:Rudd, Kevin
167:Nationality
768:Categories
752:2017–2019
721:2013–2017
551:11 October
322:References
203:Occupation
183:Alma mater
177:Australian
25:Finn Pratt
744:Secretary
713:Secretary
655:Secretary
624:Secretary
260:Secretary
255:in 2009.
230:Secretary
141:In office
129:Secretary
119:In office
107:Secretary
97:In office
85:Secretary
79:2009–2011
75:In office
63:Secretary
57:2008–2009
53:In office
684:Ian Watt
545:ABC News
375:citation
746:of the
715:of the
700:Himself
668:Himself
657:of the
626:of the
262:of the
232:of the
131:of the
109:of the
87:of the
65:of the
517:. ABC.
313:Awards
223:
32:
553:2023
381:link
162:1960
159:Born
225:PSM
34:PSM
770::
569:,
543:.
442:.
377:}}
373:{{
365:,
342:.
330:^
266:.
248:.
236:.
221:AO
194:BA
30:AO
555:.
503:.
383:)
196:)
192:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
