At least seven top public officials have been allegedly illegally paid for holding two jobs at the same time - department bosses told “seek legal advice”.

Department of Finance Secretary Rosemary Huxtable wasn’t the “decision maker” who approved the department’s waiving of a $41,000 debt to a senior public official, her department has claimed.

The Federal Government was warned waiving senior official’s $41,000 debt was likely illegal and the opposite of the “many examples” of recovering “Centrelink overpayments”. It fully waived the debt anyway.