Samuel Stratford, 44, of Bundalah Road, Euchareena, submitted a tax return on in 2018, claiming he earned $32,963 from URM Environmental Services during the 2016/17 financial year.

Stratford claimed $12,665 was withheld, $900 was spent on work clothes and $150 on tax management.

The tax office conducted an audit from June 19 to September 26, 2018, and on August 21 of that year he provided a false PAYG payment summary, which would have resulted in a $9755 refund that was not paid.

Stratford now works as a truck driver and has been drug free since 2019.

Magistrate David Day fined him $1100 for keeping a deceptive record, and for making a false statement and he had to pay an additional $5000 to the Commissioner for Taxation.

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