Scrooge is alive and well :-(

[Moi]

Centrelink is pursuing people on aged or disability support pensions who do not declare gambling winnings when they are means-tested for welfare payments.

A Fairfax report said records provided by Star City Casino have been used in at least two dozen cases by Centrelink to assess whether its clients have obtained extra income from gambling.

In some instances people have had their payments forfeited because they had won money at the casino.

Some cases are now before the Social Security Appeals Tribunal for it to determine whether gambling winnings can be counted as income


http://news.theage.com.au/national/centrelink-pursuing-gamblers-20081104-5h4x.html

 

[Chuck17]

Their kidding aren't they, more Centrelink money goes into gambling operations then comes out to gamblers.  Their worried about a few lucky people who have come out in front once in their lives, WTF!.  Maybe they should be spending their resources in tackling the problems that gambling causes in under priviliged families.

Is it April's fools day?, has someone lost their village idiot?

[Moi]

Yep, they admit they don't pay pensioners enough, and when they try and make a bit of money (which I'm sure they don't take into account how much they've lost as well) they wanna take their payments away.
It's some old folks only pleasure
Bureaucratic creeps 

[bushranger]

Moi serious question here do you know if they do the same thing to Buskers ?
As I would think some of the good ones out there make a good living out of it and still claim welfare payments.
This is why I neve put in any money to Buskers ever no matter how good they are.
If you can clear that up for me I will be more than happy.
Thanks.

[Chuck17]

Bushranger,
Don't know for sure but I would think there would be no records available for double checking on buskers incomes unless they provided them themselves which I am sure they wouldn't.

The above was only possible because of Casino records.

[bushranger]

Thanks for that info Chuck17.
Always best to know and if you don't know ask. So I did.

[Moi]

Moi serious question here do you know if they do the same thing to Buskers ?
As I would think some of the good ones out there make a good living out of it and still claim welfare payments.
This is why I neve put in any money to Buskers ever no matter how good they are.
If you can clear that up for me I will be more than happy.
Thanks.

My daughter busks sometimes, but she does for charity
Don't think the tax man ever asked her what she was up to.

[Chuck17]

Thanks for that info Chuck17.
Always best to know and if you don't know ask. So I did.

No problems.  Know where you are coming from, there is this Aboriginal dude that plays the Didgeredoo (spelling) at the Three Sisters.  With the amount of tourists especially Japanese that I seen throwing money into his collection in just one hour I would be stuffed if this guy isn't making at least $300 every day on the weekend.  Also I would lay a good bet that he is probably getting welfare as well.

Although to be fair considering it is a national tourist spot this busking may be regulated in some way and not going to him personally.  

[bushranger]

Thanks Moi.
I just needed to know as I was wondering about it.
If its for a charity I would put it in but then I might think it might be a ploy.
So its a hard one. I know there are some that can make a living out of busking and still claim the dole.
This to me is unfair I think.
Thank you once more Chuck17 this is the point I was making. As I know that they can do it.
If only I had some tallent I might be able to get some free cash to. But I'm not so I have to sit here and do it the right way. LOL.

[mightytiges]

Did those that were pinged have accounts with the Casino? Otherwise how would anyone know what someone is gambling and winning/losing.

Good old Centrelink though. It's like how the Federal Government offered incentives of something like $10,000 per year for people to continue working past 65 and in the process saving the Government money in full pension payments but if these oldies are working part-time and receiving some part-pension they'll lose that part-pension and be forced to pay back previous Centelink payments if they accept the $10,000. So one area of Government is saying here have some money on us and then another is saving you can't accept it and if you do you'll be penalised. Why offer it then ???. Stupidity plus!

[Fishfinger]

Yep, they admit they don't pay pensioners enough, and when they try and make a bit of money (which I'm sure they don't take into account how much they've lost as well) they wanna take their payments away.
It's some old folks only pleasure

That’s a fair point. If Centrelink wants to reduce payments for winnings then, in fairness, they should increase payments to cover losses.
It’d stop young people blowing their money at casinos and gaming rooms. There’d be no room left for anyone under 65 to get in.

On busking, there’s a bloke who plays guitar and sings on weekends at the local shops. Well, singing is a stretch. If he was singing for shiit he’d get the lot.
I reckon it’s a scam by the shopkeepers and he’s on their payroll. You’ve never seen a street clear so quickly when he starts up. Everyone darts into the shops to escape.
They'd have to be paying him. No shoppers give him money. Probably would to shut him up.

[Chuck17]

On busking, there’s a bloke who plays guitar and sings on weekends at the local shops. Well, singing is a stretch. If he was singing for shiit he’d get the lot.
I reckon it’s a scam by the shopkeepers and he’s on their payroll. You’ve never seen a street clear so quickly when he starts up. Everyone darts into the shops to escape.
They'd have to be paying him. No shoppers give him money. Probably would to shut him up.

What's Jimmy Barnes been up to lately, could it be him?