23 April 2024Minister for the National Disability Insurance...

23 April 2024

Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and Government Services Bill Shorten is thanking Australians for providing critical tip offs to stop fraudsters and crooks ripping off people with disability.

There's been a radical increase in the number of fraud tip-offs to the National Disability Insurance Agency since the Albanese Government set up the Fraud Fusion Taskforce (FFT) in November 2022.

In the most recent quarter, the NDIA received 4,667 tip-offs related to fraud and compliance issues – an increase of more than 75 per cent on similar quarters prior to the establishment of the FFT. That trend has continued in 2024, with more than 2,000 tip-offs received in the month of February alone.

These tips off are leading to investigations and prosecutions. In recent weeks, two major prosecutions have highlighted the role all Australians can play in preventing fraud against the NDIS.

In one investigation, tip-offs led to two women being charged, with one pleading guilty and another being found guilty following a trial.

One of the women was last week (Friday 12 April) found guilty of falsifying reports and overcharging for services in a Sydney court. She could face years behind bars after a jury found her guilty on all 22 counts of fraud-related offences.

A tip-off led the NDIA’s fraud team to investigate the former healthcare practitioner, with 36 witnesses – including 20 NDIS participants – giving evidence in court during the trial.

Charges included dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage from the Commonwealth, with an alleged fraud value of more than $1 million.

The second investigation resulted in woman being jailed last month in Queensland for three-and-a-half years for her involvement in an attempt to defraud the NDIS.

Tip-offs helping to catch NDIS fraudsters | NDIS