Two NSW North Coast women charged with allegedly making fraudulent claims for bushfire and coronavirus welfare assistance have had their cases heard in court.
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The Port Macquarie Local Court registrar heard the matters on Tuesday, July 22.
Both women, of Port Macquarie, remain on bail and were excused from appearing in court.
The Commonwealth offences carry a maximum sentence of 10 years' jail. No pleas were entered.
Katelyn Madalin Gordon, 24, of Canoblas Place was charged with eight counts of, obtaining a financial advantage by deception.
Those charges related to events on November 22, 2019, January 13, 2020, February 27, 2020 and March 27, 2020.
Gordon is allegedly to have obtained $8000 from Centrelink.
The matters against Gordon were adjourned to the same court in September, 2020.
Anna Patricia Damkjaer, 27, of Currawong Drive also did not enter pleas to a total of eight charges.
Damkjaer is charged with a total of seven counts of obtaining financial advantage by deception and one count of attempting to obtain a financial advantage by deception.
Those matters are alleged to have occurred on November 20, 2019, November 22, 2019, December 18, 2019, January 9, 2020, February 27, 2020, March 8, 2020 and March 23, 2020.
Damkjaer is alleged to have obtained $7800 from Centrelink.
Damkjaer will return to Port Macquarie Local Court in September 2020.
The fraudulent claims were allegedly linked to the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment for last summer's bushfires and one claim for the JobSeeker payments - a supplement for those adversely impacted by COVID-19.
Government services minister Stuart Robert said Services Australia's sophisticated fraud detection program means anyone planning to defraud the system should think again.
"Services Australia is doing everything it can to support Australians in need during the coronavirus pandemic but staff also are keeping a watchful eye out for unscrupulous people who try to take an unfair advantage," Mr Robert said.
Home affairs minister Peter Dutton said stealing from the welfare system is not a victimless crime.
"The AFP and Services Australia have ramped up their efforts to make sure we come down heavily on people who seek to rip off taxpayer money that was intended to support people whose lives have been turned upside down by the devastating bushfires or COVID-19," he said.