For the past several years I have been under major financial stress. To the point I was very close to declaring bankruptcy.
I was working in an industry that was seasonal so I went on Centrelink. I was informed by more than 4 employees at Centrelink on how to report my earnings if I worked. I was informed to "report when I received money from an employer". So I did that. I worked in both a paid and voluntary positions conducting flood rescue in NSW. When I was in paid positions I was paid in lump sums either at the end of my tour, sometimes fortnightly or at other times monthly. So when I received money I reported the money I earned.
Further to that another position I was in for a substantial amount of time was casual. I was once again told to report in this way so I did so. They told me to estimate my earnings! How the hell can you estimate if you're going to work 2 hours or 40 hours in a fortnight? So if I estimated and reported that I might earn $1000 to cover my backside then I'd get no payment from Centrelink at all. Which would mean I wouldn't have food, petrol to even get to a job, money for rent or ANYTHING.
So as a result of this and being unemployed as a result of a medical condition which meant I couldn't pass a medical to work in my career anymore. Having to basically start my life over again with a large debt. Being screwed over by Centrelink as well as using credit in the first place to pay for my education and training because there wasn't any financial assistance around it got to the point that everyday I felt like ending it and killing myself.
I received a letter in the first place back when they gave me the wrong information on how to report which stated that I owed over $6000. I kept paying this amount. When I worked for two years I continued to pay even thought I had found out they just estimated and guessed the amount I had to pay. I'm still paying money and received another letter and phone call before Christmas saying they would be owing them more money... yet I hadn't worked all year as a result of major neurosurgery so I don't know how I could have done anything wrong!
I am shocked. For the people that are even worse off than me who have tried doing the right thing... I'm stumped as to how centrelink think people can live on a tiny amount each fortnight... have the money to pay for rent then if you live in a rural area, have the money to afford petrol money, clothing etc to make it to interviews or jobs, have money to afford training etc...
I'm sure everyone is in the same boat with this one too... Call centrelink and spend the whole day on the phone trying to get through to someone, either being hung up on, not given the right information, being spoken down to, pushed off onto employment agencies that don't do a thing and give no assistance at all etc...