union fraud rampant + police silence, page-11

QUEENSLAND has the dubious honour of creating more millionaires through fraud than any other state, latest figures show, making up 27.7 per cent of more than $1 billion lost nationally.

Queensland fraud was valued at $208 million from 2008 to 2011, the latest KPMG Fraud Barometer said, a figure that could be the tip of the iceberg given only one in five cases get to court.

The barometer, which tracks cases before Australian courts, found that of the 546 national total fraud cases in the period, Queenslanders made up 151 instances, averaging $1.38 million each.

"On a per capita basis Queensland has experienced more large frauds than the other mainland states and territories with 30 per cent more big frauds than Victoria and almost the same number as New South Wales despite almost three million fewer people," said KPMG Forensic national head Gary Gill.