A Dubbo man who collected about $45,000 in unemployment benefits he wasn't entitled to has admitted he failed to give Centrelink the correct information about how much he earned from cleaning jobs.
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Jason Todd Wright has been intermittently receiving welfare payments from the Australian Government since 1994, court documents revealed.
The 46-year-old worked part-time as a cleaner for the Catholic Education Diocese of Bathurst from 2012 to 2018.
According to court documents, his gross income was about $100,000.
As a result of the false declarations the defendant obtained social security payments to which he knew or believed he was either not entitled or partially entitled.
- Human Services Department lawyers.
From 2014 to 2017 Mr Wright cleaned on a casual basis for the Joss Group and took home almost $41,000 in gross income.
Court documents indicated that on 73 occasions, while he was engaged in paid employment, Mr Wright told Centrelink he wasn't paid a cent.
He under-declared his income 32 times.
"As a result of the false declarations the defendant obtained social security payments to which he knew or believed he was either not entitled or partially entitled," Human Services Department lawyers said in court documents.
In total, taxpayers forked out $66,762 to Mr Wright when he was only entitled to $21,507.
The deceit was detected by data matching with the Australian Taxation Office in 2016. Mr Wright was invited to explain himself to the government but a formal interview has never taken place.
He pleaded guilty to engaging in conduct to obtain a financial advantage from the government.
In Dubbo Local Court last week Magistrate Gary Wilson requested a sentencing assessment report be carried out and Mr Wright is expected to be sentenced on August 21.
