Ex-bureaucrat Daniel Martin sentenced for welfare fraud

A former Services Australia bureaucrat who was “swimming in debt” has been sentenced for welfare fraud.

A former Services Australia bureaucrat has been sentenced for welfare fraud at the ACT Magistrates Court. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Aaron Francis

A former Services Australia bureaucrat who fleeced nearly $4000 in welfare payments to deal with his own financial issues has learned his fate.

Daniel Martin, 42, created a fake Centrelink account under the name “John Martinez” in early 2021.

Court documents state he linked the false entity to his son’s bank account and received jobseeker payments and a hardship payment.

Martin was fired from his role in July last year following an internal investigation into the fraud.

Generic image. The crest of the Australian Capital Territory outside the ACT Law Courts which houses the ACT Magistrates Court and the ACT Supreme Court . Picture: Julia Kanapathippillai

He paid back the $3828.02 he amassed through the fraud.

For the fraud he pleaded guilty to charges of general dishonesty causing a loss and being intentionally dishonest as a public official.

Martin’s lawyer told the court his client was “drowning in debt” and had been “living beyond his means” while he faced a genuine financial struggle during the pandemic.

He told the court his client was married, with three children and a niece who he provided for.

The lawyer said Martin and his family moved from Alice Springs in 2012, and said when the family was facing financial strife his wife suggested moving back to the NT due to its lower cost of living.

However Martin did not want to return to Alice Springs, with his lawyer stating he was concerned about his children being exposed to “anti-social” elements in the NT.

His lawyer described Martin’s offending as a “significant fall from grace”.

Prosecutors described Martin’s offending as a ‘breach of trust” and said the fraud required “a degree of planning and sophistication”.

The prosecutor also said welfare fraud such as Martin’s posed the risk of government departments treating people seeking welfare for genuine reasons with undue suspicion.

Magistrate Ian Temby sentenced Martin to six months’ imprisonment, however he released him immediately on recognisance.

Martin was also sentenced to an 18 month good behaviour order and ordered to do 60 hours of community service

Mr Temby said he accepted Martin was remorseful for his actions but said he needed to send a message to other public officials that offending such as this was not acceptable.

Originally published as Ex-bureaucrat Daniel Martin sentenced for welfare fraud