The Commonwealth Ombudsman has released a report condemning the federal government’s algorithm‑based tool that determines the level of care older Australians are entitled to, describing it as “unreasonable, unfair and lacking human oversight.” The investigation, conducted under the current Labor administration, says the system functions as a “technological black box” that does not meet basic standards of transparency.
The assessment tool, which automates decisions about aged‑care entitlements, was intended to streamline the allocation of services to seniors. However, the ombudsman’s findings indicate that the algorithm operates without clear insight into how it reaches its conclusions, leaving applicants and providers unable to understand or challenge the outcomes.
Crucially, the report highlights that the government has ignored transparency recommendations made by the Royal Commission into the former Robodebt scheme. Those recommendations called for greater openness and accountability in the use of automated decision‑making across government services.
The Robodebt controversy, which involved an automated debt‑recovery system that was later found to be unlawful, prompted a Royal Commission that urged agencies to adopt transparent, auditable algorithms. The ombudsman’s investigation suggests that similar safeguards have not been applied to the aged‑care assessment tool.
The Commonwealth Ombudsman recommends that the government review the algorithm, introduce robust human oversight, and implement the transparency measures outlined by the Royal Commission. Failure to do so could undermine confidence in the aged‑care system and leave vulnerable seniors without clear recourse.
<small>Source: The Guardian — read the original story there.</small>
