I'm a Masters student living in Melbourne only just surviving on the money I earn to buy everything. I received a letter from Centrelink last month saying that I owed $3700 from 2 years ago.
I couldn't believe that I owed that much, especially when it was saying that I owed money from my sickness allowance.
It might just be me but I think it would have been very difficult for me to work whilst I had a broken ankle and couldn't walk for 3 months.
Straight away I went into Centrelink to try and sort this out and found out that the robodebt had automated my payslips during the time when I was't working. Straight away put in a complaint to try and reaches this debt payment. However the lady I had did nothing as I received a letter today saying I need to make my first payment back.
I would like to add for a sign of hope for others that I got back on the phone with the debt people from Centrelink and hopefully today I have provided them everything for it to go away.
As a student studying in Melbourne, it has been stressful trying to finish my degree knowing that I would maybe have to pay this money back to them.
If I have to I would have to move back home to Sydney and live with my parents because I can't pay back that debt and support myself.
It's been horrific to see so many people going through similar situations as I am. I just can't believe they are seeing this and doing nothing about it.