Land owners charged with fraud offences over flood funding for outback property




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More than 500,000 cattle perished in the 2019 floods in Queensland.   (Supplied)

Two North West Queensland men have been charged with fraud offences after allegedly accessing $360,000 through illegally claiming disaster assistance funding for a property following the 2019 monsoonal floods.

It is alleged a 47-year-old Mount Isa man and a 71-year-old man, who lives at the property, falsified and submitted documents and dishonestly gained funding.

Detectives inspected the 71-year-old’s pastoral property and concluded the claimed grant expenditures had not occurred.

Cloncurry Major and Organised Crime Squad  Detective Inspector Troy Pukallus said the arrests highlighted that police would not tolerate people exploiting schemes designed to support those in need.

“These arrests are the culmination of over a year-long, intensive and extensive investigation and I would like to thank the investigators for their meticulous work,” Detective Inspector Pukallus said. 

“Disasters can have significant and often tragic impacts on Queensland’s remote and rural communities.

“To identify and prosecute people who would take advantage of the support provided to help people in difficult times is a pleasing outcome.”

Both men were arrested and charged and will appear in Mount Isa Magistrates Court on February 14.

Source: Thanks msn.com