I was a single parent & studying full time at the time this ‘debt’ was allegedly raised in 2014. I was first notified about it the following year when I was volunteering abroad; it was referred to a debt collection agency & they even rang me in Fiji but I was unable to take further action on it at that time as all relevant documents & records were at home. On my return from overseas I attempted to resolve the matter but met with utterly uncompromising determination on Centrelink’s part to refuse to acknowledge the evidence I offered in my defence. I dropped it and heard nothing more until...
In November Centrelink peremptorily recouped their alleged debt directly from my tax return. I was not notified in advance that this was about to happen nor given a chance to prevent it. I had earmarked the money I was expecting from that tax return to finalise my ophthalmologist’s account (I have glaucoma & required emergency laser treatment earlier in the year). As I was then unable to pay that medical bill, I was sent threatening & bullying letters by the accounts manager, and she then cancelled my next regular eye check-up appointment and told me to go elsewhere.
While I have now received a personal letter from my ophthalmologist inviting me to remain under his care, it has been an incredibly stressful, worrying & humiliating saga, given that it was nothing less than my sight which was at stake. As with so many other people, this occurred over the Christmas/summer break, with all the extra financial stress which that ordinarily brings (which for my family includes two birthdays as well), plus in my current position it’s six weeks without any income whatsoever. (I have refused to have anything to do with Centrelink since I came back from overseas after the attitude I encountered from them, despite the fact that I've been eligible for benefits and a healthcare card. Thank goodness I have a veggie garden – I have relied heavily on it in the last year.)
This is not the first time Centrelink has screwed up my life with a debt which is entirely of their own making. I honestly think we should be able to sue them for the emotional damage they do. To them it's just numbers on a screen, but to us it's our lives, it's whether or not we have the capacity to feed ourselves & our families, pay rent, take a bus, pay for a prescription.
This government has shown themselves to be appallingly callous and displayed a pathological lack of empathy. It has made me realise in no uncertain terms their neoliberal agenda is not tempered by an ounce of compassion for anyone doing it tough. It wouldn't surprise me if this tipped some poor sod over the edge and we get a mass shooting in a Centrelink office, riots in the streets or something like that. This government really has NO idea. Centrelink are supposed to provide a safety net, not a revenue stream for inept, corrupt politicians.