Centrelink staff to check on pension fraud
Centrelink staff are to be given power to obtain warrants and enter the homes of the 2.2 million households on family tax benefits, and those on unemployment benefits, student payments, disability benefits and the aged pension.
At the moment Centrelink staff do not have the power to enter people’s homes without an invitation, unless they are accompanying police on a raid. Under the changes they could apply directly to a magistrate for a warrant – if necessary by phone or email – to investigate fraud.
Centrelink say these new powers are in line with those of other agencies, including the Child Support Agency and would help simplify investigation processes that currently placed a heavy burden on the Federal Police. However, the Australian Democrats said the proposed laws did not include protections specified under the Attorney-General’s search and entry guidelines.
The proposal is in addition to existing covert surveillance such as secret filming of home carers and people on aged pensions. Some of this work has been done by private contractors.
