The mess created by the Australian Government's bid to automate the search for people who are cheating on their welfare entitlements shows no sign of disappearing, with ministers standing by the methods used.
These methods have been shown to be generating false positives by many media organisations but the government refuses to budge.
The view of many is that this is typical political behaviour: make a mistake and then refuse to own up to it.
But a different theory appears to be more logical: Malcolm Turnbull and his ministers are refusing to budge because they want a situation of this kind to exist.
Yes, this is not a cock-up, this is an intended outcome.
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Such issues, plus the fact that one often has to wait four hours or more to speak to a human being at Centrelink, have served to keep many away from ever contacting the organisation.
But the government apparently is not content with stripping Centrelink of funds to make it incompetent to this extent. So it has devised an automated system that will put the fear of Moses into young and old who have been dealt a rough hand in life and ensure that they do not try to ever apply for welfare.
New applicants to Centrelink will thus be kept to a minimum. And there will be plenty in the trough for poor pollies to dip their snouts and keep foraging.
Just one more indication that the myth of public service is just that – a myth.