Extreme stress, financial fears at time and residual anger about the process. Also a deep fear that others who are not in a position to fight it whether they are working, have mental health issues or depression, a lack of faith in their understanding of centrelink processes or just a hatred of bureaucracy will accept the debt rather than face the stress filled process of fighting it.
Appalling! The data matching tool is unfit for purpose. I was flagged by my reported income to the ATO. They simply divided my years income by 26 and saying that was my fortnightly income and I had therefore cheated the system. The reality was I had started work part time and then got more hours as the year went on. I was actually only on a part payment for about 4 months. The Centrelink site only asks one question, was the amount to the ATO correct? It was, and then the battle began. Eight weeks later many long phone calls to Human Services, several visits to Centrelink, multiple visits to old employer and I finally got a letter acknowledging there was no debt. I'd note there was not so much as an apology for the inconvenience, stress and hours of wasted time. The whole thing makes me boil with anger and sick thinking how many vulnerable people are being ripped off whilst the minister gets up in the media and boasts what a "fair" process this is.