Post by Banjo on May 23, 2011 7:45:36 GMT 7
Centrelink welfare cheat tip-offs soar
THE number of people tipping off the government about welfare cheats has soared.
The number of people informing Centrelink about welfare cheats is expected to be more than 110,000 by June 30, News Ltd reported.
The figure is up more than 10,000 on previous years, according to The Sunday Telegraph, with around 2115 tips received each week about people rorting the welfare system.
Complaints relating to disaster payment fraud since flooding began late last year in Queensland reached 5342 in early May.
Human Services Minister Tania Plibersek has put rorters on notice.
"If you fraudulently claim benefits you are not entitled to, you are not stealing from the government, you are stealing from your fellow taxpayers," she told the paper.
Centrelink general manager Hank Jongen said it angered people to see people claiming money they were not entitled to.
"People may think it's un-Australian to dob in a possible fraudster," he said.
"I say it's un-Australian to rip off taxpayers."
Centrelink has investigated 43,726 tips received in the last financial year, resulting in 7594 payments being cut back - equating to a saving of more than $2.3 million.
Rorters will have to pay back $40 million.
Read more: www.news.com.au/breaking-news/national/centrelink-welfare-cheat-tip-offs-soar/story-e6frfku9-1226060547537#ixzz1N8FCsjRu
THE number of people tipping off the government about welfare cheats has soared.
The number of people informing Centrelink about welfare cheats is expected to be more than 110,000 by June 30, News Ltd reported.
The figure is up more than 10,000 on previous years, according to The Sunday Telegraph, with around 2115 tips received each week about people rorting the welfare system.
Complaints relating to disaster payment fraud since flooding began late last year in Queensland reached 5342 in early May.
Human Services Minister Tania Plibersek has put rorters on notice.
"If you fraudulently claim benefits you are not entitled to, you are not stealing from the government, you are stealing from your fellow taxpayers," she told the paper.
Centrelink general manager Hank Jongen said it angered people to see people claiming money they were not entitled to.
"People may think it's un-Australian to dob in a possible fraudster," he said.
"I say it's un-Australian to rip off taxpayers."
Centrelink has investigated 43,726 tips received in the last financial year, resulting in 7594 payments being cut back - equating to a saving of more than $2.3 million.
Rorters will have to pay back $40 million.
Read more: www.news.com.au/breaking-news/national/centrelink-welfare-cheat-tip-offs-soar/story-e6frfku9-1226060547537#ixzz1N8FCsjRu
