A Canberra public servant used a Commonwealth credit card to pay for a skydiving adventure during a fraudulent taxpayer-funded trip to the Gold Coast.
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Michelle Victoria Jane Russell, 41, told her boss at the Department of Human Services she needed time off work to recover from a miscarriage and stillbirth.
But she instead used the time and her work-issued credit card to enjoy an extravagant week-long trip to Queensland in mid-2012.
Russell, of Narrabundah, pleaded guilty in the ACT Supreme Court to fraud-related charges for a period between February 2011 and October 2012.
The court heard she had cost taxpayers more than $37,000 through a series of fraudulent credit card transactions, false claims during a short stint at the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, fake personal leave, and deceptively receiving Centrelink payments.
Documents, filed in court on Monday, say Russell used taxpayer funds to pay for airfares, a limousine, accommodation, a jet-boat ride, skydiving, meals, sunglasses, clothing, handbags, and pampering.
A DVD of the skydive was seized by police as evidence during a raid of her home in September 2013.
During the purchase of brand sunglasses, a sales assistant reported that Russell had said: "My boss wants to treat me to a pair of good sunglasses and a massage. He said I've been working hard and to put it on the company card."
When shown more-expensive sunglasses, the offender stated she did not want to "push my luck".
Russell also billed DHS for a hire car that she kept for three months, only returning it two weeks after her employment ceased.
Court documents also revealed she had used the credit card to pay for accommodation and hire during a ski trip, groceries, room service on a work trip, and visits to the hair salon.
On another occasion, she faked her landlord's signature to have a $2200 rental bond returned and left the property with $3330 in unpaid rent.
The court heard Russell had spent five months behind bars earlier this year after she breached a periodic detention order, imposed for unrelated offences.
Russell, from the witness stand, said the time in custody had helped her beat her substance abuse issues.
She reported she found satisfaction in her new life of abstinence and enjoyed a new clarity of thought.
"I'm not knocking myself out every night [any more]," she said.
The court heard Russell had completed courses while in custody, including retraining as a barista.
She said she hoped to work in hospitality in the future.
Russell's defence lawyer said her client would not oppose a reparation order.
A Commonwealth prosecutor urged the court to sentence Russell to a period of full-time imprisonment.
"This offending was serious … serious breach of trust," she said.
"She defrauded her employer at pretty much every opportunity she had."
Justice John Burns will hand down sentence later this month.
