...especially those who've claimed welfare benefits...

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/04/16/3193620.htm


Quote:

Welfare gamblers rack up $9 million debt Updated 11 hours 27 minutes ago Hundreds of Centrelink customers caught gambling away their welfare benefits will have to repay a total of $9 million to the Government. A Centrelink review has uncovered more than 500 casino high rollers in the past four years, who have been caught frequenting casinos while claiming welfare payments. After cross-checking information on high rollers, which casinos are obliged to provide authorities under federal legislation, hundreds of people receiving government assistance were found to be concealing assets or income. Human Services and Social Inclusion Minister Tanya Plibersek says people who claim benefits they are not entitled to must not only repay the money, but can be prosecuted for fraud. "Government benefits are for people facing financial hardship, not those who can afford to lose hundreds of thousands of dollars in casinos," Ms Plibersek said in a statement. Recent cases include: A Victorian aged pensioner who lost $280,000 through gambling had more than $1 million in undeclared business income and received more than $96,000 in welfare payments, which he now owes. A Queensland single mother and high roller who was regularly employed but did not declare her wages received $49,000 of single parenting payments, which she must repay. A New South Wales disability pensioner who clocked up $350,000 in gambling losses had a higher income than declared and owes $15,000 to Centrelink. Another NSW pensioner lost $40,000 gambling, and after undeclared investments were uncovered must now repay $10,000. A 34-year-old Victorian on Newstart lost $94,000 gambling over three years. Despite being on the unemployment benefit, he was found to be a self-employed tradesman and had been overpaid more than $45,000. - AAP

Before I started this thread, I searched for any similar threads and I came up with this old gem from Mozza: -



mozzaok wrote on Nov 23^rd, 2009 at 4:19pm:

During a Tax Department audit, the auditor looked at the tax payer and exclaimed... ... "Well, sir, you have an extravagant lifestyle and no full-time employment, which you explain by saying that you win money gambling. I'm not sure the Tax Office finds that believable." "I'm a great gambler, and I can prove it," says Ralph. "How about a demonstration?" The auditor thinks for a moment and said, "Okay. Go ahead." Ralph says, "I'll bet you a thousand dollars that I can bite my own eye." The auditor thinks a moment and says, "No way! It's a bet." Ralph removes his glass eye and bites it. The auditor's jaw drops. Ralph says, "Now, I'll bet you two thousand dollars that I can bite my other eye." The auditor can tell Ralph isn't blind, so he takes the bet. Ralph removes his dentures and bites his good eye. The stunned auditor now realizes he has wagered and lost three grand, with Ralph's accountant as a witness. He starts to get nervous. "Want to go double or nothing?" Ralph asks. "I'll bet you six thousand dollars that I can stand on one side of your desk, and pee into that wastebasket on the other side, and never get a drop anywhere in between." The auditor, twice burned, is cautious now, but he looks carefully and decides there's no way this guy can manage that stunt, so he agrees again. Ralph stands beside the desk and unzips his pants, and urinates all over the desk. The auditor leaps with joy, realizing that he has just turned a major loss into a huge win. But Ralph's accountant moans and puts his head in his hands. "Are you okay?" the auditor asks. "Not really," says the accountant. "This morning, when Ralph told me he'd been summoned for an audit, he bet me twenty thousand dollars that he was so clever, that he could come into your office and pee all over your desk, and you'd be happy about it.

Hundreds of Centrelink customers caught gambling away their welfare benefits will have to repay a total of $9 million to the Government.

Big deal; Centrelink traces $9million in payments to cheats.
The total cost of the age pension is around $25billions per annum, and the tax concessions for rich retirees is another $25billions.

Abolish the means test of the age pension, abolish the tax concessions for super and Centrelink would save more than $9million on administration.
Long live the "Australian Super Fraud".