Centrelink says sex workers defrauding Commonwealth

[BigBoyBlue]

Not sure if this post will be allowed here. But certainly a topic of discussion.

Centrelink claims Western Australian sex workers have defrauded the Commonwealth of more than $250,000 by illegally claiming social security payments.

An 18-month Centrelink investigation into the Western Australia sex industry allegedly found 50 female welfare cheats in Perth and Kalgoorlie.

Link not working so taken down


Comments anyone ?

 

[mollymoo]

think it is just all greed.

 

[Mrs Langtrees]

I totally agree that all sex workers should pay their way with taxes and stop double dipping of the system, but you have to understand the government has trated the industry with double standards for 120 years by not addressing the industry with correct laws to protect the workers for being conned by the owners and clients.
West Australia is the lowest State of Centrelink fraud and I think that is because we are a little more up front yet we still do not have laws that make what I do legal and above board.
One Day......

 

[69FELIX]

WELL SAID MADAM BOBBI....behind ya all the way

 

[sioxie]

Madam Bobbi and Maryanne i agree with most of what you have both said.

I have been a single working mother for many years and bust my gut working to support my family and have always done the right thing by notifying centrelink of my earnings. But I have worked out i am alot worse off financially by working!!!!! By the time i take into account the time i dont spend with my children and leaving them in the care of others and paying babysitters its just not worth it sumtimes. But i do it because i like working and dare i say it it gives me a life outside of home.
But i can see the temptation of "double dipping" what i earn barely covers the cost of living. But in every area of work there will always b the welfare cheats u will never stop that. Doesnt matter if it is the sex industry or any other industry.
Just happens to b that this year they are focusing on sex workers. Next year it will b someone else.....

 

[Majere]

My 2 cents... after tax.

If somebody gets paid for work they should pay tax like everybody else (in the name of equality and fairness).

If the government recognises a line of work as producing an income and wants to apply tax to it, and Centerlink ruling, it should treat that profession as a legal activity… hmmm this would mean that the government is being two faced about trying to tax WL/WM and still maintain that the profession is not, to quote Maryanne, “legal and above board”.

Whilst we the tax payers can grumble about equality and fairness I don’t believe the government can complain until the make all aspects of the profession legal. (hell, everything’s legal in Canberra… porn, fireworks etc… it’s the political way)

As for Sioxie’s comments on double dipping, the few WLs I have known over the last 10 years have all been honest (though they never named their profession) and payed tax. Conversely a large proportion of “Professionals” like Doctors, Lawyers CEOs etc (you know, the big earners) spend large amounts of time and money trying to avoid paying tax and are more “Dodgy” with their tax than any WL/WM you will ever meet. I feel better for a single mum finding the holes in the tax system and doing the lightweight double dipping than a person on $100K+ who spends $10K on not paying a cent in tax (Alan Bond anyone?)

 

[Taylor]

I did the right thing

Hi there.

I started in this industry because I was sick of being on the benifits. I did the right thing, I came in had an interview, got a medical and informed Centrelink of my new employment. I reported my earnings for the specified time then made an appointment and took myself off all benifits.

It's not hard to do the right thing, if everyone tried the world would be a much better place and nobody would know the line "Karma's a *****"

But I'm sure that there are alot of Welfare Cheats out there and they aren't confined to this industry. Look at the amount of people who work for cash. I'm sureonly 75% of them pay tax and even less declare the full amount. And don't get me started on the amount of men out there dodging Family Asistance/ Child Support!

Taylor