Overview

• The Department of Employment and Workplace Relations confirmed Deloitte will repay the final instalment on its $440,000 contract, with details to be released after the transaction is completed.
• The review examined the targeted compliance framework and welfare penalties IT system, and the department says the recommendations remain unchanged despite corrections.
• The original July report contained nonexistent academic references and an invented Federal Court quotation, with a revised version uploaded on Friday before a long weekend.
• Deloitte acknowledged using a generative AI tool chain based on Azure OpenAI GPT‑4o licensed and hosted by DEWR, while asserting the updates do not alter the report’s findings.
• The quiet reupload and AI reliance have drawn scrutiny from academics and a Labor senator, highlighting transparency and quality-control risks for consultancies using AI in sensitive government work.