Former member of the Last Chance Saloon, Geoffrey Nettle, has had his Robodebt corruption contract extended by two months for an extra $490,000.

We reported in April that Stinging Nettle and his sidekick Gary Hevey SC, the team that led the Gobbo investigation in Victoria, were commissioned to take on the six referrals sent to the National Corruption Concealment Commission by Robodebt Royal Commissioner Catherine Holmes.

This was because Maj. Gen. Paul Le Gay Brereton at the NACC was involved in a cover-up of the references due to his association with Major Gen. Kathryn Campbell, the bloodless Mandarin at the Department of Inhuman Services who ploughed ahead with the unlawful Robodebt harvest.

Nettle had earlier recommended that due to Brereton’s conflicts and misconduct Holmes’ recommendations should be investigated independently.

He subsequently landed the job as the independent investigator, along with counsel assisting Gary Hevey.

See here and here.

Nettle’s original contract was for $648,000 for the period April 7 to December 31, 2025.

According to Austender this has been increased 76% to $1,138,000 and the contract time pushed out two months to February 28, 2026.

Geoffrey has one more extension option available with a maximum end date of December 31, 2026.

Gary Hevey originally signed on for $360,000, for nine months work. Another $190,000 has been tacked onto his pay packet and the time extended for two months to the end of February next year.

If only the Major General had done his job properly in the first place taxpayers would have been saved a poultice.