$500m tax fraud: How NDIS ‘plan managers’ are scamming millions from taxpayers and disabled Australians

‘Parasitic pen pushers’ are dodging paying taxes and ripping off people with disabilities — and getting paid a half-a-billion dollars to do it.

“Parasitic pen pushers” are dodging paying taxes and ripping off people with disabilities and getting paid a half-a-billion dollars to do it.

The powerful Fraud Fusion Taskforce has set its sights on hundreds of suspect NDIS “plan managers” after investigators identified evidence of crooked behaviour ranging from theft from people with disabilities through to systemic tax fraud.

There is evidence of stealing from NDIS participants, intimidating and coercing them, stealing their identities and, in the worst cases, they are involved in organised crime.

At least 343 of the 1500 plan managers across the country have not been paying any tax – one arm of the government paying them half a billion dollars to manage NDIS plans and “the other hand not recording any income”.

NDIS Minister Bill Shorten says the unscrupulous managers – flagged by the ATO for failing to pay their taxes – are “public enemy number one” after the year-long investigation by his crack team.

Australian Federal Police conducting a raid over alleged NDIS fraud in Sydney’s west. Picture: John Appleyard

“Understanding the sheer brazenness of the immoral conduct, I don’t even know whether to laugh or cry,” he said.

“Frankly I am shocked at what my taskforce is finding. When Labor was in opposition I said that fraud was plaguing the NDIS and the former Liberal Government ignored it,” Mr Shorten said.

“You can’t just drive by or put your head in the sand. That doesn’t serve the best interests of people with disability or the Australian taxpayer.

“While there are some excellent plan managers, there are just too many dodgy outfits defrauding the NDIS and my plan is to catch and convict.”

The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission has already banned 11 plan managers from the Scheme since the inception of the Fraud Fusion Taskforce in November 2022.

In addition, hundreds of plan managers are under investigation for behaviours ranging from facilitating incorrect use of plans by participants, to money laundering and serious organised crime, the Minister said.

NDIS Minister Bill Shorten says unscrupulous managers are “public enemy number one”. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Many of these investigations will lead to prosecutions and banning orders.

“Given these concerns, we will work with the good plan managers to reform the sector and ensure there is greater oversight and certainty that NDIS participants are receiving quality support.”

Plan managers charge a fee to help NDIS participants administer their NDIS funding packages. This includes basic administrative tasks like paying invoices, managing the plan budget and filing paperwork.

As new claims are being identified to be fraudulent, the Fraud Fusion Taskforce will initiate reviews of historic claims by questionable plan managers, Mr Shorten said.

“Dodgy plan managers can expect a full audit or investigation or a knock on the door from the police.”

The landmark NDIS Review – released in December last year – found that Plan Managers would largely become redundant once a soon to be rolled out new payments system comes online.

‘Parasitic pen pushers’ are dodging paying taxes and ripping off people with disabilities.

DODGY PLAN MANAGERS IN ACTION

■ A plan manager is under investigation for targeting vulnerable NDIS participants by offering cash and gifts. Once the vulnerable participant signs up with the plan manager, they start to intimidate and coerce the participant, taking control of the participants NDIS funding and embezzling it into their own accounts.

Vulnerable Australians with disabilities are robbed of the supports they need and deserve while criminals profit.

■ A plan manager is under investigation for inducing participants to spend their NDIS funds on goods and services that are not funded by the scheme. NDIS participants are conned out of the supports they need and are deceived into becoming involved in unethical behaviour.

■ A plan manager is under investigation for claiming funds from NDIS participants’ plans, for their own profit, without the participants’ knowledge or approval. The plan manager is abusing their position of trust and to steal from vulnerable members of our community.

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