I am a single Mum of two children and I studied full-time and worked part-time to graduate as a High School Teacher in 2009. During the 2010 - 2011 financial year I juggled 4 casual employers and reported my income fortnightly as per variable payment procedure and I still did not earn over the tax-free threshold! I remember that year that I got a very good tax return.
Since the 20th November I have received 26 letters from Centrelink saying that I owe them $17,000 and I only had up until 9th December to respond to the accusation. I work full time at a Central School and there was no chance of sorting everything out by that date so I rang and asked for an extension and was told that after the cut off date the debt would still be raised but I could still dispute it.
It did not take long to work out that the new auditing system averages your income over 26 equal payments and so that there will always be a discrepancy. I have had to request payment summaries with specific payment periods, which has taken many hours and days of both my time and previous employers. After spending several hours being duck shoved, put on hold and hung up on over as many weeks it broke me.
Only after I broke down sobbing to a complete stranger from the overwhelming injustice and complexity of dealing with an inflexible machine, did they offer to give me an assisted review (completed) that took them several hours to work out.
While I was waiting on the decision of the reassessment I have been forced to pay back money I am sure that I don't owe at a rate I could not choose or else deal with debt collectors. At least the email harassment has stopped.
I now understand from the final letter that the debt was made up of three alleged 'overpayments': Parenting Payment, Family Tax Benefit (Child Support Agency) and Rent Assistance. Through sheer tenacity I have managed to have the debt reduced from $17,000 to $3,800. Can you believe it?? So corrupt!! I have also learnt that $2500 of that was created due to my ex not having lodged a tax return for 5 years so not even my fault, $13,000 was owing to an update on the rent I pay that needed to be verified. I still don't know where the remaining $1300 has been accounted for? Next step...Ombudsman. I’m so exhausted by it all.
This has consumed my life for the past two months and Centrelink will NOT help you. It is a nightmare!! The online review 'support' team can help you over the phone but it is a painstaking process. In my dealings with them I have been judged and patronized treated with contempt.
I have PTSD from childhood abuse and as a result of this stress I started vomiting and having panic attacks and have needed support from my psychologist. It has impacted heavily on all my loved ones and ruined our Christmas.
I have read the stories of other victims and as an educated and resourceful woman who is a permanent Government employee, it makes me sick to think of those less fortunate than myself who cannot navigate this deliberately malicious and complicated system.
This government must be held accountable!!