AUSTRALIA 
Centrelink to be given access to customers' bank details
Saturday, 17 May, 2008
The Centrelink logo. (AAP)
The federal government is cracking down on dole cheats by allowing Centrelink investigators easier access to welfare recipients' private bank accounts.
Human Services Minister Joe Ludwig says the 138 million dollar initiative to clamp down on welfare fraud is expected to save taxpayers at least 600 million dollars over the next four years.
It will build on an existing pilot initiative between the federal government and the Commonwealth Bank which allows Centrelink investigators to data-match the files of suspicious customers.
The pilot program, which was established in 2006 under the previous federal government as part of a Centrelink computer upgrade.
It proved so successful it netted savings of more than 400 million dollars over five years mainly by reducing payments after finding customers had more assets and incomes than they claimed.
Source: AAP RTV
Human Services Minister Joe Ludwig says the 138 million dollar initiative to clamp down on welfare fraud is expected to save taxpayers at least 600 million dollars over the next four years.
It will build on an existing pilot initiative between the federal government and the Commonwealth Bank which allows Centrelink investigators to data-match the files of suspicious customers.
The pilot program, which was established in 2006 under the previous federal government as part of a Centrelink computer upgrade.
It proved so successful it netted savings of more than 400 million dollars over five years mainly by reducing payments after finding customers had more assets and incomes than they claimed.
Source: AAP RTV
