Well, he is your brother - do you want to cut him out of your life - reporting him could result in this.  I guess you need to weigh up the pros and cons, as the ramifications will be significant.  It is like a rain drop in a puddle, it will have a ripple effect throughout your entire family, and all of your acquaintances - so think carefully before you make a decision.

It sounds like we are all in a similar boat, we struggle, we do what's right and we see others doing something wrong, seeming to have it easy.  However, put yourself in their shoes and remember the road that they took to be where they are.  I think it is best to concentrate on doing the best you can for yourself and your family, and not worry too much about what other's do unless it threatens your health and well being in some way.

Good luck to you, whatever decision you make.

Absolutely! As a person who only has recieved any assistance from the government since becoming a sole-parent, I would definitly report them. I used to have "friends" years ago who would do the same thing. It made me so disgusted that I worked hard for my money and paid my tax, then they recieved my tax money thru deception. Centrelink will eventually catch up with them, and they don't back down from having a conviction recorded and having people sent to prison.

But the longer people turn a blind eye to this behaviour the more tax dollars it costs to reclaim the payment. Say someone fraudulently recieved $10000 in centrelink benefits, it could cost up to $20000 to investigate and convict that person, then if they are sent to prison well there's more money. It costs in the vicinity of $50000/year to have someone incarcerated in australia. And that means we pay more tax, or tax money is taken away from departments that really need the funding eg health, police, education, main roads.

Even though its morally wrong you have to look at the bigger picture here.
Chances are they really rely on that money and thats why they havent come clean and cancelled their benefits yet.
What would it mean to them to have it taken away? You mentioned there are children they have to support, would they be able to afford to put food on the table if they lost their pension?
Just a few things for you to think about.
MonyQ :)

NO!! because its your brother. I would just tell him that what he is doing is risky and that if they gets caught he will have to pay it back along with a $10.000 fine and possibly jail. I know what your brother doing is wrong but you would have to be evil to do something like that to your own brother and his small family.

I am sorry in all good conscience I could not dob in my own sibling sorry I am too loyal nor could I do it to a close friend.I would make a concentrated effort to explain to them the ramifications if they get caught and they do eventually,it is only the professional social security cheats that get away from it indefinitely.I may not condone what they are doing,however I don't feel it is my place to be judge as I have not been walking in their shoes.Lets face it if they are doing something wrong some one is usually watching and will act on it.Why have causing their grief on your hands.Even if you do report them anonymously you will know it was you even if they do not.Just my opinion Regards Crystal

Hi there, I'm in exactly the same position, both my brothers are working full time and earning up to 60 grand a year and their partner's are both claiming single parents pension, I get so annoyed because they don't need the money. They spend it all on crap like drugs and car parts and stuff they just don't need. The worst thing is they only have 1 child each (both newborns) and we all know they cost very little in the beginning. And we are with 2 kids my partner in a low wage job, barely making ends meet and we still aren't prepared to rip the system off. I think if you could do it anonymously then do it. I would if I could but they would know it was us. Good luck.

I've reported people like that in the past and would do it again in an instant! It's one thing that really gets my blood boiling.  It rips off people on all levels of society.  It makes it more difficult for those needing benefits to put in a claim.  It rips off the taxpayer who is also paying for them to be on benefits they don't deserve.  It's illegal, it is fraud.  And it annoys the crap out of me that people get away with it! This is why people who are doing the right thing and either not working or reporting every cent they earn are accused of ripping off the system.  My answer, yes report it.  You can do it annonymously they won't know who's said anything.

 if they are have only being doing it for a short while, maybe they need to learn some bugdeting skills, as it is a struggle for us all to live in todays society....

I personally wouldnt make the phone call, as its family, and maybe if you could find out the real reason behind it, they might have a geunine reason...

some people do it all for the wrong reasons, and then some feel that they dont have no other choice..

My hubby works 60 hours a week, and we struggle at times, and it makes me wonder why he works long hours for little money by the time we pay all the bills..

Sometimes life is hard ,and to know when to make the right decision.If he is is in a low paying job I think you are still entitled to some payment.Is he working full time?I know how you feel ,I once new a lady that was claiming the single parent pension while her partner was working  full time employment.She was able to spend money like it was going out of fashion and her children had the best of everything.If you know they are really doing it tough maybe you could turn a blind eye as the cost of living is so high these days,but if you see them being able to buy everything they can and want and wasting the money then perhaps you should report him.I myself get really annoyed that people rort the system when I know of other families that are really struggling doing it the hard way,and the right way.

                                                      Cham

its not great when people are rorting the system while others always tell the truth and have a hard time trying to survive ..

you can work and make a certain amount of money though , and then they either tax you on this or cutt your benafits down because you have earned too much ,, do you know if they are doing this ?

i wouldnt report him untill i find out ,, they might be doing the right thing and you wont know and cause alot of greif untill you ask him

are they saving up to also find themselfs a place of their own?

have they be doing this for along time?

do they have children with special needs?

either way i would find out before i would do anything ( benifit of the doubt here)

 

yes this is a hard  one ,  there are poeple out there that scam centre links for benifits which i think toatoly wrong.  If don't you reporting them it be some one elses ,if not   if he doses his taxes  centre links finds out that way sometimes .

They will get caught out one way or another , but its your choice weather you want to report them .i know what i be doing if  its was me .

 

before things get out off hand try sayin you are going too this might stop them if you report them it could result in a huge fine and a prison sentance i know its annoying but you have to think of the children in this situatiion and the damage you can doo plz just try to stop it give them a chance. think of the out come even if you dont report them someone else cld try try try xxx

This is a tough one, but YES! I find it very annoying when I have to do casual work to help my family survive, and then every time I earn over a certain amount my benefits go down, and then when I hear of other people who can scam centrelink and get away with it.......Why am I working if this is what I can get? If a person is in genuine need there are options out there, I know I have had to do this myself when my hubby lost his job. It is a personal bugbear of mine. Sorry Leisa