Centrelink debt inquiry: leaked data may have chilling effect on witnesses, Greens warn

Rachel Siewert seeks assurance that witnesses seeking to give evidence to the robo-debt Senate inquiry will be protected from interference and intimidation

The government's release of welfare recipients' personal information may have a chilling effect on witnesses in the looming "robo-debt" Senate inquiry, the Greens have argued.

On Thursday senator Rachel Siewert wrote to the acting clerk, Richard Pye, seeking advice on protections for witnesses against interference or intimidation. Siewert said the government's release of personal information to counter public criticism might scare some witnesses away from giving evidence.