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feeling totally overwhelmed

Debt amount: 
$24000
Date debt issued: 
Monday, 1 October 2018
Period debt occurred: 
July 2010 to July 2015
Has your case been referred to a collection agency?: 
No
Payment Type: 
Newstart 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: 

I am devastated by this debt. I have given on ever working again and the repayments from my current centrleink payment have left me homeless and unable to afford to live with any dignity. I continue to be regularly cut off from my benefit even though I am homeless and studying via distance education. At times I cannot get to my job network provider as I park in regional areas where risk is less and I have no fuel. I am cut off because I miss an appointment with my job provider yet to get there I need a payment for fuel.The cycle of punishment goes on.
Eight years ago a near fatal brain injury followed by an equally impacting physical injury three years later affected my life. previously I was a full time reginal manager in social services, teaching at a university whilst working on research.I had continued to try and work some contracted p/t roles whilst I was rehabilitating. As well as working I was attending rehab 4 days a week in these difficult periods. I was working part time hours that were pushing me physically, mentally and emotionally. Yet... I believed I was doing the right thing and doing as my health network were telling me to do. I just kept pushing through. After each incident I only able manage short contracts and have since been unable to return to my previously successfully tertiary career.
Working for 6 months a year over a period of 4 years and focussing on recovery and health the following 6 months was the only way I could manage my life
Each time I rested I could work up enough strength to take on another 6 month contract (part time).
I now have a $24000 debt beacuse I tried to get better, because I did what my centrelink caseworker told me, because I wanted to pay back the system I thought were helping me recover.
Ten years later I am now a broken woman with no faith in a system that is meant to support the people who are most vulnerable and I have become as broken as the system itself. Instead of inspiring me to work full time this punishment and debt has facilitated a loss of hope of ever working again. I am now likely to be a lifetime newstart recipient. The money they could have saved on this is much more than the manufactured $24,000 debt that I continue to pay each week from my newstart benefit.

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

Poorly. I have challenged this debt numerous times and each converstaion has resulted in the staff being extremly sorry but unable to help beacuse of the ridiculous algorithm. I no longer have the energy or ferocity to coninue this challenge and I have now accepted that my life will be one of homelessness and a mucher shorter one than anticipated due to my failing health.