I worry for those who are more vulnerable than myself

This began as is standard. I received an unexpected letter asking me to confirm my income for the 2010-2011 year. I visited a centrelink office to query the letter and was told that if the figure matched my records, I should simply login and confirm it. So I did.

The next correspondence received was a debt letter. In confusion I rang centrelink, who advised I needed to provide my payslips from the period (6 years ago). The operator was very proficient at directing me to contact my bank, my employer at the time, the Fair Work Ombudsman if my employer won't assist me, and even visit a centrelink office in person - all rather than providing any assistance over the phone.

So I obtained my payslips and attempted to use the portal to navigate the convoluted process to appeal the automatic debt. I could see the figures centrelink had generated, and could see my payslips supported my reported income, but couldn't finalise the appeal. I had to visit the centrelink office, where due to system issues they also could not submit my paperwork but they filed it for input later.

I did not hear anything (and assumed all was handled) until early January when I missed a phone call from a debt collection agency. About a week later I received the letter from the debt collection agency and the figure was exactly the same as the false debt that I had appealed. I visited centrelink again who confirmed that the paperwork had not made its way through the submission process, but the debt had made its way to the collection agency. So they processed my paperwork while I waited, and now generated a $300 debt (at least much better than the original $1850).

I'm not sure how, when my annual income and my payslips all match perfectly to my reported figures, I can still have a debt and I intend to keep fighting it. To be continued...