{"product_id":"book-iu3b","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\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":"HarperCollins","offers":[{"title":"Audiobook","offer_id":49279638569264,"sku":"BDiu3b","price":32.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0879\/2784\/9264\/files\/iu3b-Square-cover.jpg?v=1777331920","url":"https:\/\/downpour.com\/products\/book-iu3b","provider":"Downpour","version":"1.0","type":"link"}