Gold Coast, 15 October 2026
| Date | 15 October 2026 |
|---|---|
| Charges | Charge 1 – Section 533 WCRA – Fraud |
| Court | Magistrate Kissick, Southport Magistrates Court |
| Plea | Guilty |
| Case | Worker receives suspended prison sentence for lying about working while receiving workers’ compensation |
| Facts | The defendant made a claim for workers’ compensation and commenced working at another business the following day. He did not disclose this other work to WorkCover. That work continued for a period of about two weeks. The defendant then obtained further work approximately one month later and again did not disclose that work to WorkCover. The defendant’s compensation claim was suspended due to his non-participation in his rehabilitation. A month later, while still working, the defendant successfully sought to have his compensation re-instated. Throughout the claim, the defendant made false representations about his work status to WorkCover and others involved in his claim. WorkCover became aware that the defendant may have been working. When this was put to the defendant, he denied it. In total, the defendant’s conduct resulted in WorkCover being defrauded of $11,631.52. |
| Penalty | The defendant was sentenced to nine months imprisonment, to be wholly suspended for an operational period of two years. |
| Restitution | $9,431.52 (noting $2,200 had already been repaid at the time of sentence) |
| Costs | $2,544.75 |
| Common Law rights extinguished? | Yes |
| Conviction | Recorded |
| Consideration for Prevention | Workers must notify the insurer of any work undertaken while receiving compensation and must not provide insurers or other persons involved in their claim with false or misleading information. Failing to notify insurers of work and lying to insurers in relation to a compensation claim may result in criminal prosecution, imprisonment, and orders to repay compensation received. |