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Thank you Armstrong Legal, the lawyers that have helped over the past 3 years but more importantly, thank you to Thomas Allen for the major part you and Mr Buckland played. Cannot thank you enough. Cheers.

- Client

Hi all. I would like to thank Ms Lisa Riley for all her help with my legal issues this past month. It was the most harrowing experience of my life and thanks to her expertise, professionalism and knowledge of the law, I came out almost unscathed. I have no hesitation in recommending Lisa Riley and Armstrong Legal if you need help. The service is amazing and the cost was very minimal for the great outcome. Thank you Lisa for helping me in the most difficult time.

- Client

I just want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. My whole life I was thrown away, you made me feel like I did mean something. I could not have asked for a better lawyer. Your compassion and love for your job is inspiring. Your upfront and honesty were muchly appreciated, you are a beautiful person. Thank you for not giving up on me and thank you for all the work you put in. I wish you all the best for the future and I will be recommending you to everyone I know. You're amazing!!!!

- Client

I just wanted to thank you for representing me on Monday, I was overjoyed & relieved with the outcome. I don’t think it could have gone any better. All the best, I hope you got to celebrate this one instead after work, you forever made a difference in my life.

I know I thanked you before we parted company but please allow me to reiterate in writing my sincere deepest thanks for defending me in court today. … Armstrong Legal certainly has a great Lawyer you are a credit to the company and I'm quite sure you will secure a very successful future! … My Kindest Regards and Thanks

- Client

Throughout Angela has been the consummate professional. She maintained a calm, yet strong demeanour remained informative and completely open in her communication and took complete ownership of the situation. We felt confident we finally had an advocate to steer us out of the nightmare we were in, and she did so with great respect and sincerity. I cannot speak more highly of Angela. She has literally rescued our family from what looked very much like a hopeless future.

- Client

Words can’t describe how grateful I am to Trudie Cameron being my solicitor and to Andrew Tiedt presenting my case in the court. They both have been very supportive and amazingly professional and effective. I’ve got an absolutely fantastic outcome I couldn’t even dream about.

- Client

Soon after meeting Andrew I knew he was the solicitor I wanted to handle my matter. He immediately sprang into action which brought me stability and hope during a tumultuous time in my life. Andrew was never afraid to give me straight answers to my tough questions which is a true mark of integrity. He is clearly at ease in the court environment and I believe his calm and measured demeanour went a long way to helping me secure the best result from my day in court. I would certainly recommend you approach Andrew if you need assistance.

- Client

"Andrew Tiedt was very professional and considerate to personal circumstances and gave sound advice that resulted in the best outcome possible. Highly recommended."

This article was written by Michelle Makela - Legal Practice Director

Michelle has over 15 years experience in the legal industry, working across commercial litigation, criminal law, family law and estate planning. Michelle has been involved in all practice areas of the firm and in her personal practice has had experience in litigation at all levels (state and federal industrial tribunals, the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, the Federal Court, Federal...

Centrelink Fraud

Centrelink fraud is one of the most common and frequently prosecuted Commonwealth criminal offences. Centrelink fraud offences are serious and the maximum penalty can range from imprisonment of between 12 months and 10 years depending upon which charge the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions (CDPP) chooses to prosecute.

Centrelink Fraud Investigations

Centrelink will normally give you the opportunity to participate in a taped record of interview prior to referring the matter to the CDPP. You should seek legal advice before making a decision to attend or not to attend any interview, as any admissions you make may be used against you in court proceedings.

We have two lawyers at Armstrong Legal who were employed by the CDPP and were in the Centrelink fraud section. They have extensive experience in this area and will be able to advise you whether participating in an interview will assist your case or not.

Centrelink overpayment: will I be charged?

This is a common question and it is important to be clear about the separate steps prior to a criminal prosecution being initiated. If you have been overpaid money by Centrelink, either because you have failed to correctly declare your income, or failed to update Centrelink with details that affect your payment, Centrelink may raise a debt or overpayment. This means that you owe Centrelink the amount overpaid and Centrelink will take action to recover the money from you. You may have the overpayment reduced or waived after an internal review or an appeal to the Social Security Administrative Tribunal. Normally Centrelink achieves this by deducting money from payments that you may be entitled to. The mere fact that there is an overpayment does not necessarily mean that you will be charged with a Centrelink offence.

Centrelink fraud charges

Centrelink are likely to charge you with a Centrelink fraud if the amount overpaid is not trivial and Centrelink believes that you intentionally and knowingly engaged in conduct to obtain more money than you were entitled. In other words, what you did was more than just carelessness or negligence. For example, you intentionally failed to declare your income so you would be paid more benefits than you were entitled.

Centrelink fraud prosecutions

If Centrelink believe that an offence may have been committed, after the overpayment has been raised and an investigation completed, Centrelink will refer the matter to the CDPP.

The CDPP is an independent body and its role is to decide whether criminal charges will be laid. It will consider whether the evidence is sufficient for there to be reasonable prospects of a conviction, and it will also consider whether it is in the public interest for charges to be laid. In doing so, it will consider factors such as the amount overpaid and whether there were any aggravating features to the conduct (for example whether false statements were made to Centrelink, or whether false or multiple identities were used).

For advice or representation in any legal matter, please contact Armstrong Legal.

WHERE TO NEXT?

If you suspect that you may be under investigation, or if you have been charged with an offence, it is vital to get competent legal advice as early as possible. Our lawyers are highly specialised in criminal law and will be able to guide you through the process while dealing with the various authorities related to your matter.

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