Welfare fraud raid nets 124

A CENTRELINK blitz on harvesters in Tooradin and Kooweerup nabbed 124 fraudulent workers last week.
The cash economy operation targeted vegetable growing areas in Casey and Cardinia and resulted in Centrelink investigators cancelling or suspending the payments of 124 people.
Centrelink’s Victorian fraud investigation manager Trevor Coulter said Thursday’s operation was expected to result in taxpayer savings of $868,000.
He said vehicle check points were set up in both towns and interviews with the harvesting workers revealed many were working without properly declaring their income to Centrelink.
Mr Coulter said the investigation was part of a wholeofgovernment approach to fraud control in cash economy industries.
“Customers have a clear obligation to tell Centrelink about any income earned from work or selfemployment.
“Centrelink, through its dedicated cash economy investigation teams and with the cooperation of other government agencies, has been proactive in identifying welfare fraud,” he said.
Mr Coulter said most people were honest when declaring income but warned of the consequences of deliberately attempting to defraud the system.
“Most people do the right thing and they don’t need to worry. We appreciate that sometimes people do make genuine mistakes — this system is not set up to penalise them.
“But if people deliberately attempt to defraud the system, they will be caught and the penalties could be serious,” he said.
Thursday’s investigation involved the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs, Victoria Police, Australian Tax Office, Victorian Taxi Directorate and the Sheriff’s Office.
Last financial year Centrelink investigators conducted 133 field operations across the country.
Their work accounted for savings and debts of more than $30 million.