Yahoo Finance Australia's worst dole bludging areas named and shamed
Australia’s 10 biggest dole bludging hot spots have been revealed with Caboolture north of Brisbane, and Blacktown in Sydney's west, claiming number one and two respectively.
Caboolture last year had 387 people consistently failing to meet work-for-the-dole or jobseeker appointments and Blacktown 333, prompting calls for harsher penalties for those that continually fail to meet requirements.
Victoria's Mildura and Frankston ranked third and fourth, while Deception Bay in Brisbane's north rounded out the top five on the name and shame list released by the Turnbull government.
Radio 4BC host Ben Davis told Sunrise that he was sick and tired of talking about cracking down on punishing dole bludgers, insisting that genuine penalties needs to be applied.
"I know Alan Tudge the minister in charge here is saying ‘we are going to crack down, were going to do this’…. Well do it,” Mr Davis said.
“There needs to be a big change.”
Only 10 per cent of those caught out for welfare non-compliance were fined in the past 12 months, raising further questions as to why so few are being punished given the recent Centrelink reforms.
Pointing out that a large amount of welfare recipients had missed more than five welfare interviews in one year, News Local editor-in-chief Kathy Lipari said “it’s inexcusable” to take taxpayers on such a ride.
“Some of the excuses these people come up with are that it stops them going to interviews, it stops them from being able to play golf, or that working more than three hours a day is just a little bit too stressful,” Ms Lipari told Sunrise.
“The only thing these people will understand is when the payments stop coming through to their bank accounts.”
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