I am was very careful about reporting and the voiceover job that I did in June was worth a lot of money so I rang Centrelink to check when I should report it. They said when I worked it. I rang the ATO and they want it reported when I got paid. Now they are refusing to reconcile the work done in one financial year with the pay in a second financial year and have now got all my bank statements, documents etc and I have seen nothing from them explaining how they can't see the reporting in June and reconcile it with the payment in August.
I am not sleeping and I am extremely anxious and frustrated. I checked this stuff. I kept that payslip because I knew it was awkward but now they want every payslip ( handwritten notes from my agent) and I didn't keep the others.
I am losing time from my work, I am losing sleep and part of me wants to give in as I earn so little it would take them years to recoup that money but I also know it is wrong for me to give in.
I am distressed by the fact that although I followed their rules whilst on Austudy, I am being made to feel like a criminal. The onus is somehow on me to prove something that I shouldn't have to prove.
Not only that, people who are still on payments must be incredibly fearful of being cut off and let's remember these are the people who have worked. Not people who sensibly just left that whole mess alone by not working while on benefits.
Where is the universal living wage where people can survive or try and thrive depending on their needs and abilities? Why act as though people have to be a 'deserving poor' as if we are back in the Victorian era where poverty was seen as punishment and the rich must be closer to god.
Oh, and can we please tax the rich and corporations? That would be nice.