Allegations of fraud regarding the Tara bushfires and the financing of Cyclone Jasper disaster referred to police

A Queensland government department has revealed one employee has been sacked and seven contract workers dismissed over alleged fraud over disaster recovery funding.

The ABC understands the allegations relate to grants given to bushfire-affected residents of Queensland’s Western Downs, as well as communities affected by Cyclone Jasper in the state’s far north in December 2023.

The Department of Treaty, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships, Communities and the Arts, which administers recovery funding, said there have been nine cases of alleged fraud or misuse of funds by staff.

It said two cases had been referred to Queensland Police for investigation.

State Member for Warrego Ann Leahy, who first raised the allegations in the Queensland Parliament, said an anonymous whistleblower had contacted her about concerns about alleged misconduct in the department.

The LNP MP said the allegations were disappointing.

“What we’re finding is that people are often missing out because taxpayer money isn’t being managed.”

Ms Leahy said the allegations were serious and there were questions about community recovery funding that the Queensland Government needed to answer.

Troubling news

In Far North Queensland, Annette Mittag had flooding just below her knee at her Machans Beach home.

On Sunday, December 17, with much of the region underwater due to Cyclone Jasper, Ms. Mittag hitchhiked barefoot with her passport in a plastic bag across “an ocean” to meet a disabled client in a neighboring suburb. to help.

She says she applied for a grant but was told she wasn’t eligible because she had insurance.

Ms Mittag said she could not remember the exact grant, the government or the exact response, only that she did not receive any money.

“I was just too busy and stressed to follow up on it,” she said.

She said news of the alleged fraudulent behavior was disturbing because many residents were uninsured.

‘It’s pretty bad. There are many people worse off than me. If I didn’t have insurance, I’d hate to think where I would be right now.”

The department said allegations of unethical behavior, including fraud or misuse of funds, are taken very seriously.

It said it could not comment further due to legal and privacy obligations.

Queensland Police said it could not confirm or deny whether such cases were being investigated.