Mean Streak: A moral vacuum, a dodgy debt generator and a multi-billion-dollar government shake down - the powerful story of robodebt, WINNER of the Walkley Book Award 2025

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 AwardWinner of the Prime Minister's Literary Award 2025Winner of the People's Choice Prize Mark & Evette Moran Nib Literary Award 2025Shortlisted for the ABIA Social Impact Book of the Year 2025Shortlisted 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 STREAK:'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' RiotactPraise for Rick Morton:'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