Media Statement

Review of Centrelink Investigations

13 March 2008

I have reviewed instances where Centrelink investigators approached neighbours for information about possible welfare fraud.

This just isn’t on and I’ve put a stop to it.

The Government takes the issue of welfare fraud very seriously and I was concerned by reports from Adelaide of irregularities in Centrelink’s approach to investigating fraud.

My inquiry has revealed that in this particular case Centrelink did not follow its own procedures.

The fact is that these letters should never have been sent.

It now seems that these particular letters were generated locally. They have since been removed from further use.

The investigation revealed that this was an isolated use of the letter and did not extend beyond South Australia.

I have asked Centrelink to conduct a review of their fraud investigation procedures to make sure that safeguards are in place so that this does not occur again

While that review is being conducted, I have asked Centrelink to issue a network-wide update reaffirming that investigators are not to use this type of letter again.

Welfare fraud undermines the system designed to give a helping hand to the most needy in our community and that’s why the Government is committed to ensuring that the right people receive the right payment at the right time.

Catching welfare cheats is not easy and Centrelink usually handles this difficult job very well.

With the advance in of technology in areas such as data-matching and optical surveillance, I am confident that Centrelink investigators have access to an appropriate range of tools to continue to successfully detect and investigate suspected welfare fraud.

Last year alone the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions successfully prosecuted 3,355 cases of welfare fraud.

Media Contact: Barb Barrett—0448 469 787.