Incorrect accusation of debt - the system is rort.

Debt amount:

$3547

Date debt issued:

Friday, 8 June 2018

Period debt occurred:

July 2014 to October 2015

Has your case been referred to a collection agency?:

Payment Type:

Youth Allowance

Appealing Debt?:

Yes in process

Tell us about your debt and how has this affected you? e.g. anxiety levels, financial and accommodation stress:

I was on Youth Allowance for a brief period whilst I completed my last year at University.
During the time I was working part-time and Centrelink are now claiming that I did not declare correctly and that I owe $3,547.00.
Two other people in my work place are having the EXACT same issue.

I have been on the phone countless times, uploaded my bank statements and pay slips, and now currently going through my first appeal.

This has caused a massive amount of stress, particularly how not one phone call has involved the same information being relayed.
I can't believe this is happening.
Why even bother getting Youth Allowance in the first place when they have no idea what they're doing?

How do you feel about the way the Government has handled this process?:

It is absolutely disgusting how they are handling this.
The whole system is rort - how can the Department of "Human Services" send out letters claiming debt without even looking into the matter?

Their calculations are all wrong, with an automated "robot" looking through the figures from the ATO and then dividing that by 26 fortnights evenly rather than taking into account part-time income fluctuates.

I am utterly appalled and I am determined they are not getting a cent from me. Absolute scum bags.