FED:Fraudsters nicking $600m from taxpayers

AAP General News (Australia)
04-04-2011
FED:Fraudsters nicking $600m from taxpayers

CANBERRA, April 4 AAP - Fraudsters are ripping $600 million each year out of federal
government coffers.

Home Affairs Minister Brendan O'Connor admits it's a significant sum but he says the
government is slowly driving the figure down.

The extent of fraud against the commonwealth is outlined in a report from the Institute
of Criminology.

"It's a significant sum," Mr O'Connor told ABC Radio.

"It's 18 cents in every $100 outlaid by the commonwealth."

As part of the study, hundreds of public servants were investigated for misusing credit
cards, stealing equipment and passing on confidential information.

More than 800,000 incidents of fraud were recorded by Centrelink, Customs and other
government agencies in 2008-09.

The report looks at the combination of public and private fraud.

"Fraud has been identified as the most expensive crime category in Australia," the report says.

Mr O'Connor said the government was well aware of the problem and was looking at how
to improve its defences.

"It's millions and millions of dollars and we need to make sure we do everything we
can to prevent such fraud," he said.

An extra 827 fraud control staff have been employed across government agencies in the
past 12 months.

AAP pv/sb/goc/

KEYWORD: FRAUD UPDATE

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