UP to 340,000 students across Australia are set to pocket a $1850 double bonus from the Federal Government because of a loophole in the national stimulus package.
Under the economic rescue package which was devised in a hurry, full-time students and apprentices will receive a $950 one-off stimulus payment - and those who have part-time jobs while studying will "double-dip" for a further $900.
They are eligible for the extra payment from the Australian Tax Office under the Working Australians Bonus.
Many families will also receive multiple payments under the scheme, with the average family $3800 richer.
More than a million Australian families already have qualified for both the Single-Income Family Bonus and Back to School Bonus payments. Independent senator Nick Xenophon said the multiple payments were "by no means ideal", and questioned the number of payments being allocated to some while others missed out.
"This is disappointing, and there are some groups who are missing out and others doubling and tripling up and that's because of inflexibilities of the system that they (the Government) couldn't change," he said. "Because of the urgency, they couldn't have done anything else. They physically couldn't do it administratively - that's the advice I got - that it was just impossible."
Senator Xenophon said he raised the issue during the Senate inquiry into the Government's economic package.
"They said that they were aware of it, but couldn't change the system to prevent the doubling up," he said.
"So some people have got extra payments.
"This is what happens when you rush something through and it's by no means ideal."
Treasurer Wayne Swan's media adviser, Matt Martyn-Jones, said he was unable to comment on the double bonuses from London, where Mr Swan was attending G20 talks.
The Treasury Department also did not return several calls made during the week.
Centrelink and the Australian Tax Office confirmed many Australians qualified for dual payments under the Household Stimulus Package and the Working Australians Bonus.
"If people are eligible for bonuses paid to Centrelink customers and a tax bonus (distributed by the ATO), they will receive both," Centrelink general manager Hank Jongen said.
He said 1.36 million families had been paid the Single-Income Family Bonus, and the Back to School Bonus would go to about 1.4 million families.
Tax Commissioner Michael D'Ascenzo said the Working Australians Bonus would start being paid to those with incomes below $100,000, after a High Court challenge by law lecturer Bryan Pape failed on Friday.