Go to top of page

Guilty until I prove myself innocent

Debt amount: 
$1800
Date debt issued: 
Thursday, 22 December 2016
Period debt occurred: 
August 2014 to January 2015
Payment Type: 
Youth Allowance
Appealing Debt?: 
Yes in process
Tell us about your debt and how has this affected you? e.g. anxiety levels, financial and accommodation stress: 

Completely wasted my time while trying to focus on a hectic period at work! Debt was issued just before Christmas and I had a holiday booked departing on the 28th of December. I had to spend my time bothering old employers in their busiest time of year and spent my annual leave getting the docs together. The Centrelink lady said if I didn't sort it out they wouldn't let me leave the country which caused massive amounts of stress I am overseas now; it was completely untrue! She also lied to me and said they would be open on the 28th which they weren't. Now I have to sort my debt out when I get home. I am also currently in the process of getting finance to buy a home so having extra money to pay it off was not possible and if they raise my debt I may not get the house which I just put a 10k deposit on. Unbelievably stressful.

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

They are absolute scum. My debt was completely wrong, I reported to the app exactly as instructed and to the letter. They have wasted my time, effort and money and other people's as well. Can't believe in a country like Australia they can say you are guilty of something until YOU have to prove them otherwise.