Killarney, whilst the Intervention (Operation 'Reach Around') was going on in the NT, the amount of rorts going on under the cover of government sanction had to be seen to be believed.

DEEWR, DOCS, CentreLink, officers on long service leave, or those on redundancy packages assigned secondments within departments, seting up QANGOS to supply various 'services' to indigenous communities which were billed out at astronomic hourly rates. Reports done by students/graduates who were barely old enough to vote, let alone give unbiased and balanced views on what had happened.

Contractors who were brothers, cousins, spouses to government officers getting preferential treatment when tenders were opened and advertised. Local tradespeople billing out ridiculous amounts for work done.

Nothing like a bit of good old nepotism...meanwhile pollies with their brass bands and an entourage of media in tow getting buckets full of photo opportunities and exposure while the "Sacred Little Children" were being neglected (yet again). The Fat Cats got fatter than they could ever imagine.

The issues you mentioned with Human Services (CentreLink)...unless a Royal Commission is conducted into this, I fear the amounts being fleeced will never be disclosed.

Albie

Definitely, a Royal Commission is needed, but the political will is out to lunch. There is too much to hide to launch an official investigation into welfare rort.

Also, in the minds of the general public, welfare recipients, white or non-white, are the scum of the earth (until it happens to them), so why go into battle for losers? Even organisations like GetUP! are fixated on stuff like the Barrier Reef, climate change, same sex marriage and asylum seekers. Almost certainly, their donors have never seen the inside of a Centrelink office.