Scott Morrison is facing calls to quit parliament over robodebt. Who else could go?

KEY POINTS:

• Scott Morrison is facing calls to resign after the scathing robodebt report.
• The report found Morrison failed in his duties as minister over a “crude and cruel” illegal scheme.
• Kathryn Campbell’s appointment in a $900,000-a-year role as an AUKUS adviser is also under scrutiny.

This article contains references to suicide/self-harm.

The fallout from the robodebt royal commission’s damning report is gathering pace, with former prime minister Scott Morrison facing calls to leave parliament from his colleague.

The report, released on Friday, found Morrison failed in his duties as minister over a “crude and cruel” illegal scheme which it said caused multiple deaths by suicide.

It’s the second time a scandal related to his time in office has erupted since his 2022 election loss,

without telling the public or most of his colleagues.

From calls for his resignation to potentially losing a title given to him by his beloved Sharks NRL team, questions over Morrison’s future are being raised again.

In a statement soon after the report was released, Morrison “completely” rejected all findings which were critical of him, including that he “allowed cabinet to be misled” over the scheme.

But unlike Alan Tudge, Stuart Robert, and Christian Porter – three other former ministers singled out for criticism – Morrison did not reveal whether he had been referred for criminal or civil prosecution.

The former prime minister is facing calls to go from Liberal backbencher Bridget Archer, who voted to

. Archer says Morrison’s continued presence in parliament is preventing the party from moving on.

The Liberal pre-selection process for the next federal election is already underway, and there are reports the party will move to ensure Morrison is not named as their candidate for his Sydney seat of Cook.

On Monday, radio host Neil Mitchell, whose audience leans conservative, said Morrison “should be out in disgrace” over a saga he described as “one of the most disgusting political scandals in the history of this country”.

“He is discredited, disgraced. Get him out and get in somebody who adds something meaningful to the parliament,” Mitchell said.

Opposition leader Peter Dutton said this weekend he would not demand Morrison’s resignation.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has stopped short of calling for him to go.

“Scott Morrison, of course, is mentioned countless times in this report. It is a matter for him what action he takes in response,” he said.

Joyce told Sunrise that demanding Morrison leave parliament had “a whiff of not being earnest” and warned against using such calls as a “political weapon”.

“I don’t like telling other politicians to leave politics, right? That’s their decision. They will make that decision, and when they decide to make it, they make it,” he said on Monday.

“It’s a decision that’s best made by the person themselves as to what they want to do with their career, not for other people. Otherwise, you always get the inevitable. We tell all the Labor Party members they should leave politics, they tell us that we should all leave politics.

“There’ll be no one left in the place.”

The royal commission also was scathing about Kathryn Campbell’s conduct.

The report found the former Human Services secretary was “responsible for a department that had established, implemented and maintained an unlawful program”.

Campbell went on leave around the time of the report’s release, but its findings have thrown her Defence Department role with a $900,000 annual salary as an AUKUS adviser into the spotlight.

A number of crossbenchers want her to resign or be sacked.

Independent MP Zoe Daniel has described her lucrative role as an “insult” to robodebt’s victims.

Albanese would not comment on individual cases but said he was “confident” agency heads would take appropriate action.

Defence did not answer directly when asked about Campbell’s future.

Three ministers blasted by the report are out the door already.

But Alan Tudge, Stuart Robert, and Christian Porter all claim they’re in clear and have been told they haven’t been referred for prosecution.

Tudge also left parliament earlier this year.

soon after, the first time a sitting government had seized a seat from the opposition at a by-election in a century.

Robert is also on his way out, having announced his resignation in May. A

will be held on Saturday.

Readers seeking crisis support can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14, the Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467 and Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800 (for young people aged up to 25). More information and support with mental health is available at

and on 1300 22 4636.

supports people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.