Queensland antivax activist in attempted Centrelink benefits rort

Ever since the news that child care rebates and benefits – as well as the removal of conscientious and religious exemptions – hit the newsstands in early 2015, anti-vaccination activists have been busily contorting themselves into all manners of dishonest tetris-moves in a bid to prove to the government just how smart and entitled they really are.

In April 2015 antivaxers were planning on joining religions and bribing medical practitioners; whilst only as late as four days ago they were still dishonestly panhandling for cash in an inept cry for financial support for a legal challenge to the No Jab No Pay legislation, which came into effect on January 1 2016. So, it comes as no surprise that another attempted rort of public money is the subject of today’s post.

Anna Stancombe/Patel – a high school teacher from Caboolture, Queensland – has featured on this blog a number of times for her anti-vaccination activism, including her trolling of the Light for Riley Facebook page. From my earlier post about Stancombe we can see we’re dealing with a class act with a history of attempted rorting:

Further information on the appalling 2011 behaviour of Stancombe/Patel can be viewed on the Ripoff Report website,  in which it is documented that Stancombe/Patel attempted to defraud an airline of damages for a baby stroller. When a baby store proprietor would not go along with her fraud she attacked him and accused him of being a paedophile, along with the website administrator of the Ripoff Report website. Collection of Ripoff Report posts on Stancombe/Patel also found here.

Stancombe 73 public Facebook image Patel

Publicly available image courtesy Facebook.

Stancombe/Patel accuses critics – and those whom she deems to have aggrieved her in any way – of paedophilia, death threats and other crimes; this one is from January 9 2015:

Stancombe 72 Peter Tierney death threats

This example is form July 19 2015:

Stancombe 122 July 2015 karma bitch paedophilia accusation

When Stancombe/Patel runs out of venom she goes for censorship. This series of posts, made only twenty days ago, show that Stancombe/Patel is not averse to making fraudulent claims of cyber-crime to ACORN:

Stancombe 78 PT blog posts TUW etc

On February 5 2016, Stancombe/Patel posted in the anti-vaccination secret group, Vaccine Free Australia – which has not been secret for almost twelve months – coaching her colleagues on her latest ploy to defraud Centrelink of money to which she is not entitled.

Stancombe/Patel’s ruse runs as follows:

  • make an appointment with your immunisation provider with the intention of initiating an immunisation catch-up program for your unimmunised children.
  • do not take your children to this immunisation catch-up appointment.
  • have the immunisation provider notify Centrelink that the immunisation catch-up program has been initiated, thereby granting you six months’ worth of childcare benefits and rebates.
  • refuse to bring your children in for immunisation catch-ups for the next six months.
  • when the six months is up you start the process all over again, lying to your immunisation provider by using a number of excuses as to why you could not bring your children in for their immunisations.

Stancombe/Patel declared to her colleagues that she had taken these actions already:

Anna Patel Everyone knows to go to your Doctor and ask for a catch up schedule. You are then deemed up to date and get payments till end of August, in which time it is reviewed….. Did it today

Some of Stancombe/Patel’s colleagues were appropriately guarded in their responses, which did not deter Stancombe/Patel, or her certainty:

Hayley Van What is reviewed in time?? Thats a great idea. But if you ask for the catch up scedule doesnt that mean they will do at least 1 round then and there?

Anna Patel No. I didn’t take my kids.

Nadia Rosen I tried today but she had no idea what I was talking about! Waste of money!!!

Anna Patel Mine didn’t either, but I made the nurse ring the registrar there. You can call the registrar direct and get then to follow up. Do this yourself if you have paid.

Nadia Rosen But it sounds like you’ll have to pay it back…..

Anna Patel I don’t believe rumours, I look at facts

Georgia Orfanos I think if you dont end up catching up on all vaccines, you have to pay the money back…

Linda Geiger That’s what i would assume too

Anna Patel I doubt it. In the letter from Centrelink it says payments ‘may stop’. You can also go through appeals process if that was the case. Legal challenges are mounting, so it gives you necessary time.

Anna Patel They won’t make you pay the money back as they have said you are up to date.

Kelleigh Rae No- they have said you have agreed to catch up by a set date. And then you aren’t?

Breana Elizabeth Moles [Breana Stanley] I spoke to centrelink about this if you do not vaccinate at end of period you will have to pay back the money .

Anna Patel Not true, there is a number of reasons why the schedule could not be completed, illness is major one, holidays, etc. etc. still researching. Then it is up to you wether you go through with it or not.

Puti Warbrick What money?

Breana Elizabeth Moles Because in the grace period you are still claiming CCB and CCR but if you don’t vaccinate at end of period you have to pay back what you had saved from CCB and CCR which can be alot depending on circumstances

Anna Patel Breana do you have in writing that is the case? As I have not read anything. Also it is not true centrelink will continue to pay in the grace period. They will stop payments in 6 months only and then you can go on another catch up schedule 🙂

Breana Elizabeth Moles No I got a receipt no . It was on the phone but you know Centrelink they give 5 different answers to one thing so you are most likely right then as that sounds more feasible . Maybe people that need to use it like that should just call then take down persons name and staff no that way they have proof. Or maybe get them to write a note on their account . Centrelink always makes mistakes we know that . It’s crazy we have to go through all these hoops anyway

Anna Patel Yep they have no clue

Puti Warbrick Child care benefit. With you now! You know blackmail is illegal aye?..
There are lope holes . even better there is a form that’s been posted on here before pertaining to not getting jab

Sharon Heilbronn to which the ama has said it will not accept even IF doctors sign it.

Puti Warbrick You know this right? I beg to differ

Emma Louise Our ME ends in October, does a catch up schedule give you x amount of weeks, and will they make you pay back $ if you don’t follow through?

Anna Patel Gives you 6 months.

Stancombe/Patel alluded to legal challenges such as those being undertaken by the Australian Vaccination-skeptics Network and other conspiracy-driven organisations:

Anna Patel I think people are missing the point. Australia is a test case for the rest of the world. They are seeing how people are going to react to having your tights taken away. Legal challenges are underway, which will be successful. You need to buy time and this is what this does. Don’t just sit there and do nothing, you have to challenge it from every angle.

Justine Bell Thanks, I put a post up asking about this yesterday. I was going to take my kids to the doc on Monday to get a catch up schedule, maybe I should just go by myself

Anna Patel i went by myself as did my friend. Doctor knew nothing about it, but you contacct the registrar wants there

Stephanie Parkin So does this mean we have until August to use day care and receive the rebates ?

Anna Patel yes – exactly. You are deemed to be up to date

Stephanie Parkin Oh yes !!!! amd once August comes around and my child doesn’t get vaccinated. . What happens then? Do we have to pay it all back ?

Anna Patel I dont see how if they deemed you up to date. Get another catch up schedule organised, or hopefully by then it will be cancelled as legal challanges are underway.

Anna Patel There is also an appeals proocess through Centrelink for anything you dont agree with

Stephanie Parkin Thanks Anna Patel. I will certainly do what I can .. also do you mean legal challengers from the anti vaxxers ?

Anna Patel Yes legal challenge from AVN, but individually we have to appeal as well.

This is not the first time Stancombe/Patel has openly admitted to attempting to obtain benefits to which she is not entitled. On December 29 2015, Stancombe/Patel posted a silly letter, in Vaccine Free Australia – stating that she has done similar to what is contained in the letter – which warns Centrelink that its “contract” with the individual will be considered “null and void” if Centrelink  does not acquiesce to the individual’s demands. This type of letter was the basis of the Australian Medical Association’s recent articles declaring that doctors are under no obligation to sign any statutory declarations which have no basis in law:

Anna Patel  “I have posted my letter today back to centrelink I had an appointment with a lawyer about it last week… here it is if anyone wants to do the same….
Dear Service Centre Manager
Locked bag
7834 Canberra Bc ACT 2610
19/12/2015
To whom it may concern,
I recently received a letter from Centrelink dated 2 December 2015 informing me that in order to qualify for the continuation of the Family Tax benefit and childcare fee assistance, i need to ensure that my child is fully vaccinated. I am unable to complete the vaccination requirements for my child because i cannot find a doctor who will vaccinate my child knowing that i am being financially coerced.
To do so would breach informed consent and leave them liable for medical trespass.
Under section 2..1..3
http://www.health.gov.au/…/Handbook10-home~handbook10part2~…

consent must be valid. For consent to be legally valid, the following elements must be present:6,8
It must be given by a person with legal capacity, and of sufficient intellectual capacity to understand the implications of being vaccinated.
It must be given voluntarily in the absence of undue pressure, coercion or manipulation.
It must cover the specific procedure that is to be performed.
It can only be given after the potential risks and benefits of the relevant vaccine, risks of not having it and any alternative options have been explained to the individual
I am a conscientious objector to vaccination and so do not agree with my child being administered vaccines, due to much evidence regarding the toxicity of vaccines ,please watch and listen to this video if you can as there is uch new evidence resented here by an immunologist who used to make the vaccines.
https://vimeo.com  [link removed]

Because of my precarious financial position as a single mother /teacher able to work only between school hours and/or the possibility of my child being disadvantaged by the denial of an early education, I am being put in to the untenable and coercive position of giving my child a medical intervention that I know is not in his best interests, against my will.
On Thursday 17th December 2015 my doctor refused to vaccinate my child against my will and has signed a statutory declaration acknowledging that my consent is not voluntary which i have attached. On Tuesday the 22nd December another Dr also refused to vaccinate my child against my will and Statuatory declaration is also included.
So I have fulfilled the vaccination requirements for my son to the best of my ability and it is from no fault of my own that the doctor refuses to vaccinate my child against my will.
If you cannot provide a doctor who is willing to sign a legal document stating that they are willing to administer vaccinations to my son without my consent by the 15th January 2016 then I will consider your contract as null and void and as such the immunisation requirements for my child……….. will be considered to be met.

Back when Stancombe/Patel posted the above, her colleagues were supportive in their responses:

Rebekah Julian You don’t need to vaccinate to get FTB.
You only lose the end of year supplement of part A.

Rebekah Julian Aside from that, I love this.

Suzy Singleton great Anna Patel , thanks for posting,

Cathie Murray Anna, is this your letter?

Anna Patel No. But I have done similar and will follow the centrelink complaints procedure.

Liz Fahey We all need to do this! Clog up their stupid system 🙂

Catherine O’Brien Well done. I’d love to hear if they get back to you.

Lisa-Marie Gallwey This is brilliant

So, heads-up to Centrelink to be on the lookout for more attempted benefits fraud from anti-vaccination activists. This won’t be the last time we’ll hear of this sort of thing from them. And I very much doubt this will be the last time we’ll be covering the rorts from Anna Stancombe/Patel.

Thanks for  reading.

__________________________________________

About reasonable hank

I'm reasonable, mostly.
This entry was posted in abuse, anti-vaccination, anti-vaccination dishonesty, Anti-vaccine thugs, australian vaccination network, AVN, meryl dorey, public health, skeptic, stop the australian vaccination network, vaccination and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

11 Responses to Queensland antivax activist in attempted Centrelink benefits rort

  1. Simon says:

    Well, well, well….

  2. @advodiaboli says:

    I’ll pay her double the entitlements lost for not vaccinating her child if Stancombe/Patel can produce just one of the “death threats from Peter Tierney” she claims to have.

  3. Mary says:

    This is total rubbish. If we start a catch up schedule the first lot of vaccines are given on the day. If they are not commenced, they should not be considered to be on a catch up program for Centrelink purposes. Simple.

  4. Tom G says:

    Thanks for showing us her photo.

  5. Stephen says:

    Thanks for documenting this dishonesty mate.

  6. Lsn says:

    I’m still laughing at the “they won’t make you pay it back” part. Has she ever dealt with Centrelink? Not only will they make her pay it back they’re likely to prosecute the second time. Once could be a mistake, twice is looking suspiciously like fraud.

    • Nay says:

      With all her premeditation evidence, the first time is fraud. I really don’t know how anyone thinks she is smart. She’s as sharp as a hammer. I’d love to see thus on ACA or TT when they do their regular Centrelink fraud exposés.

    • Andy says:

      I’m still laughing at “having your tights taken away”.

  7. Andy says:

    Can anyone in this group offer me some legal advice please? I have spoken to a tax agent who has advised me that I cannot claim a negative-gearing tax deduction unless I move out of my home and let other people move into it. I do not want to move out of my home but I pay far too much tax on my meagre income. I have three kids, two dogs, a smoking habit and a purple polar bear to support – and the polar bear caught tetanus off a vaxxed kid who coughed on him – but the federal government is holding me over a barrel insisting I must go and live on the street and let other people have my house, otherwise I can’t get the tax deduction. Do you think I could just pretend to pay myself rent so I can get the tax deduction and then not mention the rent on my income statement so I don’t have to pay more tax? Maybe I could claim the polar bear is a tenant when he comes off his high-dose vitamin-C treatment? After all, he doesn’t even look like me so I think it should be easy to fool the tax department into accepting that he’s not family.

    And Firefox says “meagre” isn’t really a word. Have I been hacked? Is there a Centrelink benefit for that?

    Thanks. Love and light and unicorn farts.

  8. Pingback: Qld antivax activist confirms she and her friends all commit Centrelink benefits rort | reasonablehank

  9. Wayne says:

    I’ll be straight up front here. I am a strong advocate for vaccination but I disagree with the Federal Governments’ decision to tie FTB to being up to date with vaccinations. Not only is it unfair to remove income that provides basic needs to children, there are a few grey areas in this policy that unfairly affect people in some foster situations where Medicare details are not provided.

    As for this woman, what she is doing is fraud, pure and simple. My distaste of the law is irrelevant; she’s once an idiot for not vaxxing her kids, and twice an idiot for thinking she can openly defraud Human Services and get away with it. She won’t…very soon she and any others complicit will be caught and be held responsible.

    It would seem to me the children should be in the care of the father. The fact that she is a teacher and holds a science degree (wonder which one?) defies belief.

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