PENSIONS FRAUDS

Hokitika Guardian, 20 December 1932, Page 6

PENSIONS FRAUDS

THOUSANDS OF POUNDS

AUSTRALIAN MINISTER’S REPORT. SYDNEY, December 8. Fraud,3 involving ‘'tens of thousands of pounds" by persons not entitled to receive Federal pensions are referred to by the Federal Auditor-General, 'Mr C. J. Cerutty, in his annual report. In many cages, he reveals, persons have wrongfully obtained moi'e than £509, and, in a few cases, more than £IOOO.

“As might be expected, the large increase in the number of pensions has brought, at least, a correspondingly large increase in the number of pensions improperly paid,” gtatas 3fr Cerutty, “certainly as regards invalid and o]o age pensions, and probably war pcnsion s as well.

"These over-payinent.s, in almost all cases, are the result of fraudulent representations. or of t % e failure truthfully to disclose the financial or other eircumstance s of those concerned. During the last 12 months th e ease* discovered, apart from mvsnccessful attempts, number nearly 1000, tbs amount involved totalling tens of thousands of pounds.

“In many individual instance* the sums improperly obtained have reached £SOO and in a few cases more than £IOOO In four war pons : o n ca=es alone payments totalled £IOOO. As all these cases have been discovered in a more or le-ss haphazard fashion, it may be taken that they represent a mer<i fraction of those not discovered. “These instances of fraud, taken in ron junction with the numerous prosecutions in connection with income tax and ■Stats sustenance, indicate an increasing number of persons who view the defrauding of the Treasury—that is the, taxpayers—as b>s tillable.” Mr Ceruttv the ••inn.denvaey of the measures to prevent such frauds, and rf{ thp punishment imno-rvl mo'' 1 Re uro*' I '* tlm appointment, inv iD «Bcr'ot‘ r, g staffs to make Tror'* marching inmiirie.-, in selected raso= “Pproat pensioners have nothing to fear,” he adds.