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Haven't recovered from the shock and anxiety that it caused

Debt amount: 
$17000
Date debt issued: 
Saturday, 1 November 2014
Period debt occurred: 
January 2010 to January 2012
Has your case been referred to a collection agency?: 
No
Payment Type: 
Newstart Allowance
Appealing Debt?: 
Yes but I lost
Tell us about your debt and how has this affected you? e.g. anxiety levels, financial and accommodation stress: 

Was $17 000 Centrelink service officer dropped it to $6000 appealed but lost still paying it. Onus on me to prove I didn't owe it. Same process was used to calculate debt. When I pointed out I should be taken to court for $17 000 the customer service officer dropped it to $6000 and told me I should be grateful and relived. Haven't recovered from the shock and anxiety that it caused. Had to get payments refused was going to be evicted. Still financially stressed and not getting better. Terrified of receiving another debt. Honestly think Single Parents on Newstart were test run for this latest round of attacks on people reliant on Social Security. Deeply angry and demoralized. Feel helpless and powerless to fight back and was told no other avenues of appeals

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

When they say it is "working as intended" they know exactly what would happen and how helpless most people would be to fight it. It was a deliberate plan to gouge the most vulnerable.