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$20000 in debt attitude of the collection agency rude, belittling and unhelpfu

Debt amount: 
$20000
Date debt issued: 
Tuesday, 9 September 2014
Period debt occurred: 
March 2015 to December 2015
Payment Type: 
Youth Allowance
Appealing Debt?: 
I don't know how to
Tell us about your debt and how has this affected you? e.g. anxiety levels, financial and accommodation stress: 

All of the above. The anxiety I experienced after receiving the debt notices (there have been two) was paralysing, the attitude of the collection agency rude, belittling and unhelpful. I have PTSD as a result of a robbery in my workplace and have been unable to work full time since - this, coupled with the inability to review the debt has left me in a position where I find it difficult to heal.

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

I feel that their actions are mercenary, shameless and blatantly disrespectful. People who receive financial assistance do so for many complex reasons. Calculation of the debts should have been reviewed on a case by case basis, with tact and consideration. To have used a system that relies on automatically generated supposition is a mean exercise in cash harvesting to inflate the coffers is an act of medieval cruelty. To not follow through with an accessible means of contest and review is a further act of cruelty and failure of responsibility on behalf of the government.