{"product_id":"9781460765807_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","title":"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","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom award-winning journalist and writer Rick Morton comes \u003cem\u003eMean Streak\u003c\/em\u003e, 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.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWinner of the 2025 Walkley Book Award\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWinner of the Prime Minister's Literary Award 2025\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWinner of the People's Choice Prize Mark \u0026amp; Evette Moran Nib Literary Award 2025\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eShortlisted for the ABIA Social Impact Book of the Year 2025\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eShortlisted for the Australian Political Book of the Year Award 2025\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eRobodebt 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePowerfully moving, deeply compelling and utterly enraging, \u003cem\u003eMean Streak\u003c\/em\u003e 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePRAISE FOR MEAN STREAK:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e'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.' \u003cem\u003eSydney Morning Herald\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e'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 \u003cem\u003eMean Streak\u003c\/em\u003e is that this can happen to all of us...' \u003cem\u003eThe Australian\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Illuminating, devastating ... a feat of both exposition and effect. Morton's prose emanates heat.' \u003cem\u003eAustralian Book Review\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e'A must read'  \u003cem\u003eCanberra Weekly\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Thoroughly researched, passionately written' \u003cem\u003eInside Story\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e'A forensic narrative account of the Robodebt disgrace, the consequences, and the Royal Commission that followed. Absolutely gripping.'  Readings\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Meticulous in detail, panoramic in scope and fortifying in its fury ... Morton pulls no punches' \u003cem\u003eBig Issue\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e'I strongly advise you all to go out and buy a copy' \u003cem\u003eAustralian Independent Media Network\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e'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.' \u003cem\u003eArtsHub\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e'A powerful read' \u003cem\u003eRiotact\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePraise for Rick Morton:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e'A crack storyteller ... his words and stories are infused with genuine compassion'  Christos Tsiolkas\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Morton is an intelligent, funny, endearing writer' \u003cem\u003eAustralian Book Review\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Morton is fresh ... He's brilliant' \u003cem\u003eThe Monthly\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Wonderfully readable ... Morton is a national treasure' \u003cem\u003eBooks+Publishing\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Rick Morton","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46898380767381,"sku":"9781460765807","price":35.99,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0484\/3175\/9509\/files\/9781460765807_02a240a1-bd85-407e-a175-f12ff0284f83.jpg?v=1776888280","url":"https:\/\/harpercollins.com.au\/products\/9781460765807_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","provider":"HarperCollins AU","version":"1.0","type":"link"}