What do you think?
Rate this book
Mean Streak: A moral vacuum, a dodgy debt generator and a multi-billion-dollar government shake down - the powerful story of robodebt, WINNER of th
From award-winning journalist and writer Rick Morton comes Mean Streak, a gripping and horrifying account of how, over the course of four and a half years, Australia's government turned on its most vulnerable citizens.
Winner of the 2025 Walkley Book Award
Winner of the Prime Minister's Literary Award 2025
Winner of the People's Choice Prize Mark & Evette Moran Nib Literary Award 2025
Shortlisted for the ABIA Social Impact Book of the Year 2025
Shortlisted for the Australian Political Book of the Year Award 2025
Robodebt was a new debt-creation system that was used to illegally pursue close to half a million Australian welfare recipients for fake debts generated by the thousands. It was described by the Royal Commission's report as a 'massive failure of public administration' caused by 'venality, incompetence and cowardice'. Essentially, Australians were gaslit by their own government, which doggedly and knowingly concocted a program that was both mathematically wrong and illegal, just to shake down innocent people for money, then lied about it for four and a half years. Robodebt is a historic and appalling political tragedy, a scheme created deliberately and sustained by institutional cowardice, clearly displaying the systematic contempt that a government had for its own citizens.
Powerfully moving, deeply compelling and utterly enraging, Mean Streak reveals disturbing truths about the country we have become and the government that was. In the mode of a corporate thriller, this is a scouring cautionary tale of morality in public life gone badly awry - a story that is bigger than robodebt, and far from over.
PRAISE FOR MEAN
'Searing, forensic and moving .. fuelled with rage and sorrow in equal measure, [Morton] walks us through one of the most shameful episodes in recent Australian politics, taking in prime ministers, pressured public servants, a whistleblower and case studies of the poor sods who were hunted down by their own government. A morality tale for our times.' Sydney Morning Herald
'Morton's work is scholarly and precise [and] his rage is unmisstakeable, seething from every page ... For Morton, this story is personal [but] what he tells us in Mean Streak is that this can happen to all of us...' The Australian
'Illuminating, devastating ... a feat of both exposition and effect. Morton's prose emanates heat.' Australian Book Review
'A must read' Canberra Weekly
'Thoroughly researched, passionately written' Inside Story
'A forensic narrative account of the Robodebt disgrace, the consequences, and the Royal Commission that followed. Absolutely gripping.' Readings
'Meticulous in detail, panoramic in scope and fortifying in its fury ... Morton pulls no punches' Big Issue
'I strongly advise you all to go out and buy a copy' Australian Independent Media Network
'A comprehensive analysis of Robodebt's architects, its implementers and protagonists, its victims and its demise ... Lucid and engaging ... We should be grateful that journalists like Morton exist to help keep us honest and well-informed; he has demonstrated immense journalistic skill in this detailed expose. For people interested in our political system and in social justice, this book is a must.' ArtsHub
'A powerful read' Riotact
Praise for Rick
'A crack storyteller ... his words and stories are infused with genuine compassion' Christos Tsiolkas
'Morton is an intelligent, funny, endearing writer' Australian Book Review
'Morton is fresh ... He's brilliant' The Monthly
'Wonderfully readable ... Morton is a national treasure' Books+Publishing
Winner of the 2025 Walkley Book Award
Winner of the Prime Minister's Literary Award 2025
Winner of the People's Choice Prize Mark & Evette Moran Nib Literary Award 2025
Shortlisted for the ABIA Social Impact Book of the Year 2025
Shortlisted for the Australian Political Book of the Year Award 2025
Robodebt was a new debt-creation system that was used to illegally pursue close to half a million Australian welfare recipients for fake debts generated by the thousands. It was described by the Royal Commission's report as a 'massive failure of public administration' caused by 'venality, incompetence and cowardice'. Essentially, Australians were gaslit by their own government, which doggedly and knowingly concocted a program that was both mathematically wrong and illegal, just to shake down innocent people for money, then lied about it for four and a half years. Robodebt is a historic and appalling political tragedy, a scheme created deliberately and sustained by institutional cowardice, clearly displaying the systematic contempt that a government had for its own citizens.
Powerfully moving, deeply compelling and utterly enraging, Mean Streak reveals disturbing truths about the country we have become and the government that was. In the mode of a corporate thriller, this is a scouring cautionary tale of morality in public life gone badly awry - a story that is bigger than robodebt, and far from over.
PRAISE FOR MEAN
'Searing, forensic and moving .. fuelled with rage and sorrow in equal measure, [Morton] walks us through one of the most shameful episodes in recent Australian politics, taking in prime ministers, pressured public servants, a whistleblower and case studies of the poor sods who were hunted down by their own government. A morality tale for our times.' Sydney Morning Herald
'Morton's work is scholarly and precise [and] his rage is unmisstakeable, seething from every page ... For Morton, this story is personal [but] what he tells us in Mean Streak is that this can happen to all of us...' The Australian
'Illuminating, devastating ... a feat of both exposition and effect. Morton's prose emanates heat.' Australian Book Review
'A must read' Canberra Weekly
'Thoroughly researched, passionately written' Inside Story
'A forensic narrative account of the Robodebt disgrace, the consequences, and the Royal Commission that followed. Absolutely gripping.' Readings
'Meticulous in detail, panoramic in scope and fortifying in its fury ... Morton pulls no punches' Big Issue
'I strongly advise you all to go out and buy a copy' Australian Independent Media Network
'A comprehensive analysis of Robodebt's architects, its implementers and protagonists, its victims and its demise ... Lucid and engaging ... We should be grateful that journalists like Morton exist to help keep us honest and well-informed; he has demonstrated immense journalistic skill in this detailed expose. For people interested in our political system and in social justice, this book is a must.' ArtsHub
'A powerful read' Riotact
Praise for Rick
'A crack storyteller ... his words and stories are infused with genuine compassion' Christos Tsiolkas
'Morton is an intelligent, funny, endearing writer' Australian Book Review
'Morton is fresh ... He's brilliant' The Monthly
'Wonderfully readable ... Morton is a national treasure' Books+Publishing
Audible Audio
Published October 16, 2024
130 people are currently reading
509 people want to read
About the author
Rick Morton
9 books10 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
This is Rick^Morton, where ^=space. (default profile)
About the Author:
Rick Morton is Vice President of Engagement for Lifeline Children's Services, one of the nation's leading Christian adoption and orphan care ministries. He is married to Denise and they are the parents of 3 children who joined their family through adoption from Ukraine.
Together, the Mortons were a part of co-founding Promise 139, an international orphan-hosting ministry based in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. In addition to local church ministry, Morton has spent more than a decade as a college and seminary professor.
Rick has served on the faculties on New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, Bryan College and The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary teaching in the areas of youth ministry, Christian education and leadership, and he was one of the co-founders of Clarity Publishers, innovators of the Student Life and Life Bible Studies which were the first online Bible study series for students and adults. Morton is a preacher, conference leader and author with numerous articles and books to his credit.
This is Rick^Morton, where ^=space. (default profile)
About the Author:
Rick Morton is Vice President of Engagement for Lifeline Children's Services, one of the nation's leading Christian adoption and orphan care ministries. He is married to Denise and they are the parents of 3 children who joined their family through adoption from Ukraine.
Together, the Mortons were a part of co-founding Promise 139, an international orphan-hosting ministry based in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. In addition to local church ministry, Morton has spent more than a decade as a college and seminary professor.
Rick has served on the faculties on New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, Bryan College and The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary teaching in the areas of youth ministry, Christian education and leadership, and he was one of the co-founders of Clarity Publishers, innovators of the Student Life and Life Bible Studies which were the first online Bible study series for students and adults. Morton is a preacher, conference leader and author with numerous articles and books to his credit.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
November 14, 2024
This book made me cry, multiple times. In a country that loves to talk about 'a fair go', people on welfare benefits are often treated like the lowest of low by the very same people who are employed to help them. Robodebt speaks to a larger structural system that vilifies the poor and vulnerable. I am so grateful for Rick Morton writing this book. It has made me, and probably many other people raised in the Centrelink system to feel seen. I cannot recommend this book enough. I hope it wins all the awards.
January 2, 2025
‘The letters were sent by the thousand and arrived in mailboxes and at addresses across Australia, beginning in 2015.’
Mr Morton’s account of ‘Robodebt’ is hard to read. Not, I hasten to add, because of his writing but because of the content. Read it and weep.
‘Robodebt’ was a debt collection scheme designed within the Australian government to automatically assess the debts of welfare recipients.
What are robodebts?
‘Robodebts are debts that were raised between July 2015 and November 2019 under the Income Compliance Program. They were raised using averaged Australian Taxation Office (ATO) income information.’ (copied from the Services Australia website).
The system was in place between July 2016 and November 2019, was ill-conceived and was illegal. And most of the ‘debts’ raised were non-existent.
Reading this book should be mandatory for every public servant. It is a case study in a failure of administration that had tragic consequences. Most of the public servants and politicians named should be gaoled. One former public servant, Ms Colleen Taylor, is a hero. She had the courage to raise alarms about the system, was ignored and labelled as a troublemaker.
It took five years for the program to cease, and a change of government, before a Royal Commission was established. As Mr Morton covers in this book, active steps were taken within the public sector hierarchy to cover up the fact that the perpetrators knew the scheme was illegal. That is absolutely unforgivable. Read it and weep. Some recipients of a Robodebt, already vulnerable, were so overwhelmed by the debts raised against them that they took their own lives. That is heartbreaking.
At least one member of my family became caught up in Robodebt. As far as I am aware, money is still owed to that family member.
I wish that the Royal Commission had led to a judicial inquiry, to a process of law that resulted in those responsible being found guilty of their crimes. And yes, I read the statements at the end, the statements disputing the findings of the Royal Commission. My conclusion? Incompetent as well as dishonest.
What happened to the system of checks and balances designed to prevent such malfeasance, and the consequences of maladministration?
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Mr Morton’s account of ‘Robodebt’ is hard to read. Not, I hasten to add, because of his writing but because of the content. Read it and weep.
‘Robodebt’ was a debt collection scheme designed within the Australian government to automatically assess the debts of welfare recipients.
What are robodebts?
‘Robodebts are debts that were raised between July 2015 and November 2019 under the Income Compliance Program. They were raised using averaged Australian Taxation Office (ATO) income information.’ (copied from the Services Australia website).
The system was in place between July 2016 and November 2019, was ill-conceived and was illegal. And most of the ‘debts’ raised were non-existent.
Reading this book should be mandatory for every public servant. It is a case study in a failure of administration that had tragic consequences. Most of the public servants and politicians named should be gaoled. One former public servant, Ms Colleen Taylor, is a hero. She had the courage to raise alarms about the system, was ignored and labelled as a troublemaker.
It took five years for the program to cease, and a change of government, before a Royal Commission was established. As Mr Morton covers in this book, active steps were taken within the public sector hierarchy to cover up the fact that the perpetrators knew the scheme was illegal. That is absolutely unforgivable. Read it and weep. Some recipients of a Robodebt, already vulnerable, were so overwhelmed by the debts raised against them that they took their own lives. That is heartbreaking.
At least one member of my family became caught up in Robodebt. As far as I am aware, money is still owed to that family member.
I wish that the Royal Commission had led to a judicial inquiry, to a process of law that resulted in those responsible being found guilty of their crimes. And yes, I read the statements at the end, the statements disputing the findings of the Royal Commission. My conclusion? Incompetent as well as dishonest.
What happened to the system of checks and balances designed to prevent such malfeasance, and the consequences of maladministration?
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
October 25, 2024
This book is frustrating. Frustrating because of what the libs and sycophantic publics did, what people went through with the false debts and because Morton adds a lot of unnecessary commentary to sell the evil when telling it straight would suffice. At times it made the story hard to follow but then again, if you followed the royal commission then you'd fully appreciate the level of obfuscation would make any retelling hard enough.
Kathryn Campbell's over hour long retort from her lawyers at the end is just long winded way to tell the world just how much of a cunt she is. It's comical in length and full of weasel words, making Morton's work stronger in the end.
Kathryn Campbell's over hour long retort from her lawyers at the end is just long winded way to tell the world just how much of a cunt she is. It's comical in length and full of weasel words, making Morton's work stronger in the end.
December 26, 2024
They should put portraits of Colleen Taylor in the foyers of government buildings, rather than smirking headshots of ministers, to remind everyone what an ethical and committed public servant actually looks like - nothing like her insulated, toxic overlords.
April 15, 2025
It's easy to understand why Morton may never fully recover from writing this book.
The maze of Kafkaesque administrative torture the government inflicted on its most vulnerable citizens is hard to comprehend. Every week, an automatic computer program using fake data sent letters to thousands of people, coercing them to pay back millions they never owed.
A crazed Liberal desire for "efficiency" and cost savings, the diffused structure of the public service, and a media willing to lap up any attack on welfare users all combined to keep an illegal program on life support for years after the government knew it was dysfunctional.
In a well-intentioned attempt to simplify the bureaucracy, Morton goes on many strange tangents and extended literary metaphors. Combined with the polemic style, it got out of hand and made the book much longer than it needed to be.
A form of newspeak has been invented to blunt criticism and hide brutality. "Compliance measures" and "income averaging" are silent killers.
Morton's demonstration of Robdebt's absurdity almost masks its evil. As one academic put it, "It's like seeing the Myer Centre Santa Claus out back by the dumpster smoking."
The maze of Kafkaesque administrative torture the government inflicted on its most vulnerable citizens is hard to comprehend. Every week, an automatic computer program using fake data sent letters to thousands of people, coercing them to pay back millions they never owed.
A crazed Liberal desire for "efficiency" and cost savings, the diffused structure of the public service, and a media willing to lap up any attack on welfare users all combined to keep an illegal program on life support for years after the government knew it was dysfunctional.
In a well-intentioned attempt to simplify the bureaucracy, Morton goes on many strange tangents and extended literary metaphors. Combined with the polemic style, it got out of hand and made the book much longer than it needed to be.
A form of newspeak has been invented to blunt criticism and hide brutality. "Compliance measures" and "income averaging" are silent killers.
Morton's demonstration of Robdebt's absurdity almost masks its evil. As one academic put it, "It's like seeing the Myer Centre Santa Claus out back by the dumpster smoking."
December 23, 2025
Meticulously well-researched by Rick Morton, detailing the large-scale failure of Robodebt scheme (automated debt recovery scheme), that had devastating consequences for some of the most vulnerable Australians. This was a very tough read, with many compelling details about bureaucratic inefficiency, culpability of Australian public servants and government ministers, ‘willfully reckless and dishonest conduct’ to defraud Australian people.
This should be mandatory reading for all Australians, especially public servants and ministers.
This should be mandatory reading for all Australians, especially public servants and ministers.
February 16, 2025
Mean Streak is not a dry book to read. Morton's sentences slash with sarcasm, drip with disdain and set up punchline after punchline. He turns a tale of bureaucracy into a thriller, with villains whose actions get ever more outrageous until the final, reassuring fall from grace. This is cathartic, rage-fuelled writing. he frequently pulls in tangential background, from Milgrim to several references to the novel Piranesi, but quickly returns to his central narrative.
But the thing is, he has earned this, and the story deserves it. For a long time, with some familiarity with such things, I would reassure people that Robodebt was almost certainly more incompetance than malice. But it turns out there were bucketloads of both to go around. And while the incompetence is expected, the malice is a little breathtaking.
Morton demonstrates convincingly that many of those involved in the decision-making knew that this money that was being collected was not debt at all. This system, he contends, was established to steal, both to rescue a deficit and to do so by demonising and humiliating some of our most vulnerable people. Morton understands the dynamics of welfare, the way shame saturates life and his white hot anger largely stems from how this was weaponised, with multiple known victims spiralling into suicidal ideation, and some ultimately dying.
And behind this is a senior public service that is so absorbed into politics that to object is unthinkable - even to fail to protect the politicians intent is a crime worthy of ostracism. It is junior staff who are heroes here (as well, of course, as activists and the victims themselves and their families). Frontline staff on entry level wages who haven't caught on that the public service part of the job is now just an Orwellian title. The section at the end, in which named individuals statements all contend to explain how whatever went wrong, they didn't know anything, is a depressing shitshow. In a scheme in which every lawyer initially noted it as obviously illegal, in which every test indicated that most of the 'debts' that would be claimed did not exist, in which every experience in the pilot held up that people were not able to 'correct' the arbitrary claims before they were charged, not knowing is just as unconscionable as it is unbelievable.
What happened at DSS and DHS is not I believe typical of the public service. But it is a warning bell, and not just about the integrity of the Australian Public Service. Underneath this is a fascist-style disregard for truth and a desire for a group of victims to blame, to unite society in whipping people who "damage us all". We are not so far from this reality as we think.
I read this book in a week where I also read Paul Hardisty's book on the failures around the Great Barrier Reef and Carl Elliot's really engaging Occasional Human Sacrifice about medical malpractice whistleblowers, and taken together, it was all a bit much. But also, it highlighted that the exposure of this scheme was a monumental achievement and that every victory counts. In the end, this is a story of something beaten back, not just one dodgy program, but the right of government to lie, obscure and demonise. So let's take the win.
But the thing is, he has earned this, and the story deserves it. For a long time, with some familiarity with such things, I would reassure people that Robodebt was almost certainly more incompetance than malice. But it turns out there were bucketloads of both to go around. And while the incompetence is expected, the malice is a little breathtaking.
Morton demonstrates convincingly that many of those involved in the decision-making knew that this money that was being collected was not debt at all. This system, he contends, was established to steal, both to rescue a deficit and to do so by demonising and humiliating some of our most vulnerable people. Morton understands the dynamics of welfare, the way shame saturates life and his white hot anger largely stems from how this was weaponised, with multiple known victims spiralling into suicidal ideation, and some ultimately dying.
And behind this is a senior public service that is so absorbed into politics that to object is unthinkable - even to fail to protect the politicians intent is a crime worthy of ostracism. It is junior staff who are heroes here (as well, of course, as activists and the victims themselves and their families). Frontline staff on entry level wages who haven't caught on that the public service part of the job is now just an Orwellian title. The section at the end, in which named individuals statements all contend to explain how whatever went wrong, they didn't know anything, is a depressing shitshow. In a scheme in which every lawyer initially noted it as obviously illegal, in which every test indicated that most of the 'debts' that would be claimed did not exist, in which every experience in the pilot held up that people were not able to 'correct' the arbitrary claims before they were charged, not knowing is just as unconscionable as it is unbelievable.
What happened at DSS and DHS is not I believe typical of the public service. But it is a warning bell, and not just about the integrity of the Australian Public Service. Underneath this is a fascist-style disregard for truth and a desire for a group of victims to blame, to unite society in whipping people who "damage us all". We are not so far from this reality as we think.
I read this book in a week where I also read Paul Hardisty's book on the failures around the Great Barrier Reef and Carl Elliot's really engaging Occasional Human Sacrifice about medical malpractice whistleblowers, and taken together, it was all a bit much. But also, it highlighted that the exposure of this scheme was a monumental achievement and that every victory counts. In the end, this is a story of something beaten back, not just one dodgy program, but the right of government to lie, obscure and demonise. So let's take the win.
June 3, 2025
A very comprehensive account of Robodebt and I think an important book for public servants especially to read!
At times a little dense with the technical detail of the scheme, but I liked how it highlighted the human impact of the scheme on both workers and those being pursued for 'debts', as well as the systematic failures that allowed this to happen. Extremely well researched and brings you along for the whole lifecycle of Robodebt, from initial ideas to the massive fallout.
At times a little dense with the technical detail of the scheme, but I liked how it highlighted the human impact of the scheme on both workers and those being pursued for 'debts', as well as the systematic failures that allowed this to happen. Extremely well researched and brings you along for the whole lifecycle of Robodebt, from initial ideas to the massive fallout.
April 1, 2025
Rick Morton’s ‘Mean Streak’ explains the findings of the Royal Commission into the Robodebt scandal which targeted Australian welfare recipients a few years ago with illegal ‘debts’ owed to the government and then put the onus on them to prove the data was incorrect, while at the same time putting up every obstacle imaginable.
An incredible book which treats the victims of this abhorrent scheme with the dignity they always deserved, reading this made my blood boil. How could our government and public servants in powerful roles treat other human beings like this? It’s beyond belief. And made even more incredibly sad when we know that unfortunately some people took their own lives as a result of the shame they felt.
Just, wow. Huge kudos to those who knew this was wrong and tried to shine a light on it and bring change. You provided the glimmer of hope in this dark (and very recent) period of our welfare system.
An incredible book which treats the victims of this abhorrent scheme with the dignity they always deserved, reading this made my blood boil. How could our government and public servants in powerful roles treat other human beings like this? It’s beyond belief. And made even more incredibly sad when we know that unfortunately some people took their own lives as a result of the shame they felt.
Just, wow. Huge kudos to those who knew this was wrong and tried to shine a light on it and bring change. You provided the glimmer of hope in this dark (and very recent) period of our welfare system.
February 10, 2025
Could have been 100 pages shorter, but still eye opening.
November 6, 2025
4.5🌟
I was sickened and disgusted throughout this telling of the RoboDebt scandal. It covers the people involved from Government, the Public Service and most importantly the citizens affected.
There is also a section at the end where people referred to in the book disputed their characterisations.
It gets into the technicalities of the social services legislation and administration scheme, but a worthwhile read for all politicians and public servants in what you should not do.
I was sickened and disgusted throughout this telling of the RoboDebt scandal. It covers the people involved from Government, the Public Service and most importantly the citizens affected.
There is also a section at the end where people referred to in the book disputed their characterisations.
It gets into the technicalities of the social services legislation and administration scheme, but a worthwhile read for all politicians and public servants in what you should not do.
December 8, 2025
It took me a long time to finish Mean Streak simply because it is a harrowing read. I can't help but reflect on this privilege as a reader, compared to the inescapable horror and distress experienced by those who lived through and were hounded under the Robodebt scheme. This is what governments are capable doing of when cultural rot, fear and self-interest becomes the norm. This should be compulsory reading for any public servant.
October 6, 2025
by Rick Morton (no photo)Finish date: 06.10.2025
Genre: Australian non-ficti0n
Rating: A+++++
#NonFicNov25
Good News: Cosmic irony: Mean Streak is deeply critical of The Australian government...yet it wins Prime Minister's Literary Award 2025 for nonfiction! It felt I was reading an absurdist play
...how inaccurate the debts could be (pure fiction created by the Robodebt software) and how many people would never realise or be able to find their records ...because they don't exist!
Bad News: Technical info you need to understand in the book: Centrelink (delivers social security payments and services to various groups of people in Australia)...informed people they owed payments on monies created using an illegal method of income averaging. Complicated? Yes... Illegal ? ...Yes, but the Australian government saw it as a "money grab".
Personal: Robodebt debt scheme was a government conspiracy. It was illegal, they knew it yet they did it. It ruined people's lives. Professor David Schmidtchen from public sector management at UNSW Canberra sums it up perfectly: "Robodebt has become more than just a failed welfare program...it now represents what happens when governments automate processes without proper oversight."
Here is another excellent example of Australian NF. Mean Streak has a VERY good chance of winning #AusPolBook 2025. But I still have 2 books on the shortlist that I must be read. I would be surprised if if Rick Morton does NOT win the prize...the book is that good!
Morton's writing expressed deep and sincere feelings about the Robodebt debacle. Morton also has a great sense of humour. He made me laugh describing a lawyer trying desperately to come up with a reasonable explanation "...Pulford (lawyer) reached deep into the scrabble bag..." (pg 250)
Another gem:
"It's turtles all the way down". (pg 416)
"turtles all the way down" is often invoked whenever explanations seem to rely on a never-ending chain of further explanations or causes. It is a whimsical metaphor for suggesting there may never be a "bottom turtle" or ultimate reason for things.
December 29, 2024
As a public servant I found this a tough read. So many flags could have changed the outcome if the right people listened, asked questions or were more sympathetic to actual humans who receive welfare benefits.
November 7, 2024
Should be required reading for all as[piring politicians and public servants
January 18, 2025
I have officially read 500 pages about Robodebt - please give me a pat on the back, and then a hug while I scream into your shoulder because I am exhausted and infuriated. This is a difficult read - both technically, because Rick Morton is exhaustive in his coverage (which means reading a lot of bureaucratic back and forth), and emotionally, because it's hard to read about government officials propagating a scheme that they know to be illegal and immoral parallel to real people's lives falling apart as a result.
I am a big fan of Rick Morton (he was very nice when I met him at a book event!), his memoirs, and his work at 7am and The Saturday Paper, and he continues in Mean Streak his characteristic wit, investigative determination and empathy.
I am a big fan of Rick Morton (he was very nice when I met him at a book event!), his memoirs, and his work at 7am and The Saturday Paper, and he continues in Mean Streak his characteristic wit, investigative determination and empathy.
November 8, 2025
It is unfathomable to me that this many people could act so callously and cowardly under the auspices of providing social support to those who most need it. Brilliantly written book, where you can feel Morton’s anger viscerally.
November 30, 2024
The years-long process of royal commissions, political discourse and media churn often blunt the impact of government policy. This book wrenches robodebt back to the sharpest horrors it inflicted on people.
A delicate, empathetic and sensitive discussion of the shame and harm it imposed on hundreds of thousands and for the few who can truly say they did something to stop it. Appropriately ruthless and excoriating of the people and systems that did it.
A delicate, empathetic and sensitive discussion of the shame and harm it imposed on hundreds of thousands and for the few who can truly say they did something to stop it. Appropriately ruthless and excoriating of the people and systems that did it.
February 10, 2025
One of the most depressing books I have ever read. Written with such moral clarity that I know I will store this one away in the back of my mind to remind myself of time and time again
October 12, 2025
ABC's Utopia meets Friedrich Engels' theory of social murder. Really chilling stuff, and very readable
October 31, 2025
successfully ragebaited myself with this one
November 22, 2024
I had to stop reading this book at numerous points because of how angry it made me.
I really hope that we will eventually see real consequences for those involved in the development and implementation of the illegal, immoral Robodebt scheme.
I really hope that we will eventually see real consequences for those involved in the development and implementation of the illegal, immoral Robodebt scheme.
May 2, 2025
4.5/5 An excellent dissection of the Australian Government's RoboDebt scheme. Well-researched, fantastically argued, and overall a phenomenal insight into the cruelty and blundering clownishness of all those involved. It really is all so ridiculous.
March 15, 2025
provides much needed linearity to a convoluted set of events that had immeasurably awful, awful impacts for many
March 3, 2025
The whole time I was reading this book I kept thinking about a Facebook comment I saw from the time Robodebt was breaking out. People were sharing the utterly destructive experiences being inflicted on them by what we now know was an entirely illegal and ineffective scheme that sought only to exploit our nation's most vulnerable people. There were stories of people not being able to afford food, emotional distress, and even suicide. And to all this, one person responded: "I don't get it, if there's an issue, surely they can just call up and sort it out?"
I roared with laughter and called my wife over, she looked at the comment and said: "Someone's clearly never dealt with Centrelink before."
People should've gone to prison over this debacle. The very least we can do is make sure that the party responsible doesn't get its grubby hands on our social welfare systems again.
Thank you to Rick Morton for this very important document of an extremely dark period in Australian politics. It's a very challenging read at times, but Moreton writes with a deft touch and an adequate slathering of scathing dark humour to keep it surprisingly propulsive.
I roared with laughter and called my wife over, she looked at the comment and said: "Someone's clearly never dealt with Centrelink before."
People should've gone to prison over this debacle. The very least we can do is make sure that the party responsible doesn't get its grubby hands on our social welfare systems again.
Thank you to Rick Morton for this very important document of an extremely dark period in Australian politics. It's a very challenging read at times, but Moreton writes with a deft touch and an adequate slathering of scathing dark humour to keep it surprisingly propulsive.
April 13, 2025
A book about senseless bureaucracy that made me want to cry. I really think this book should be mandatory reading in Australia. The author did an incredible job of navigating both the technical facts and the human stories underneath them.
April 5, 2025
Essential reading for public servants. A department set up to provide assistance to the most needy in our society is subverted into a revenue raising enterprise by ministers who don’t want to know and public servants who don’t want to tell them that what they are proposing and then doing is both wrong and unlawful. The pressure is on senior public servants not to fulfil the mission of the agency, but to second guess and anticipate what the minister would like to hear. So often in the public service we hear that this is innovative so it is good and right. Robodebt was innovative but unlawful and very damaging resulting in untold stress and loss of many vulnerable lives.
January 3, 2025
Took a minute to settle in and understand the acronyms & get across the names of all involved. And I am really glad I persisted. This is not the happiest of reads. No one wants to see behind Oz’s curtain. But I thank Rick for taking the time to do so.
Would have been a great Quarterly Essay.
Would have been a great Quarterly Essay.
February 9, 2025
A frustrating and very detailed body of work about the soulless Robodebt system in which all of the people who created, pushed, and perpetrated harm with this system got away with defrauding millions of Australia’s. Rick is an incredible writer.
November 19, 2024
A must read for every Australian.
This is a true horror story.
This is a true horror story.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews