Aged care nurse jailed over $50k Centrelink fraud

AN AGED care nurse who lied about being unemployed to swindle Centrelink of almost $50,000 will spend three months behind bars for the fraud.

Kylie Rooke. Source: Facebook.

AN aged care nurse who lied about being unemployed to swindle Centrelink of almost $50,000 will spend three months behind bars for the fraud.

Kylie Ann Rooke, 32, claimed she was unemployed when she successfully applied to Centrelink for Newstart payments and Austudy payments between 2008 and 2012.

Over the four-year period she was paid $48,852 in welfare benefits despite working as an aged care nurse at Biggera Waters.

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The Australian Taxation Office contacted Centrelink in 2010 after a data match revealed Rooke was employed and earning money she hadn’t disclosed.

Rooke continued to receive the benefits for another 16 months, despite being asked to explain her income.

In the Southport Magistrates Court yesterday Rooke pleaded guilty to three counts of fraud in relation to the payments.

Commonwealth prosecutor Laura Hamilton said Rooke made “intentional misrepresentations” of her circumstances.

She said the case was so serious Rooke should serve time in jail.

“The defendant had no eligibility for any benefit during the entire period of the three charges,” she said.

Ms Hamilton said Rooke was told by staff at Centrelink in December 2010 a review was under way into earnings she had not reported.

“At that time, the defendant did not provide a reason for not reporting and continued to declare nil earnings for the remainder of the charge period,” she said.

Barrister Chris Rosser said his client said she had suffered from a gambling and drinking problem but admitted he had nothing to tender to the court to support the claim.

Mr Rosser said Rooke suffered anxiety and depression and claimed she had helped her parents, who lived in Newcastle, with the money.

“They were having severe money problems and she was sending a lot of money back to them,” he said.

He said his client now worked full time in aged care and part time at an ice cream factory and was paying off $500 of her debt each fortnight.

Ms Hamilton clarified that while $8690 had been repaid, Rooke had not made any payments for two months.

Magistrate Kerry Magee said the offence involved a “substantial” amount of money and was not a victimless crime.

“When the Commonwealth Government is deprived of money, that is money that’s not available to provide services to the community,” she said.

“Every member of the Australian community suffers when this offending occurs.”

Ms Magee said the social security system relied on the honesty of people who received benefits and said there needed to be a strong deterrent to others.

Rooke was sentenced to nine months in jail and will be released on a good behaviour bond after serving three months.