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Sandra

Debt amount: 
$7000
Date debt issued: 
Wednesday, 17 August 2016
Period debt occurred: 
August 2013
Has your case been referred to a collection agency?: 
Yes
Payment Type: 
Parenting Payment
Appealing Debt?: 
I don't know how to
Tell us about your debt and how has this affected you? e.g. anxiety levels, financial and accommodation stress: 

I suffer from severe anxiety and, as a result, have trouble completing paperwork- including taxes. I take full responsibility for not submitting my tax since 2013. However, Centrelink has somehow managed to data match my income reporting with non-existent tax returns to claim I have underreported over tthree years and owe over $7,000.

No amount of asking for evidence has yielded any result. No direction was provided in how to dispute the alleged debt. I know I haven't under reported- I always added extra income in to avoid over payment and also always had tax deducted from payments.

Not only have I incurred a debt but II was cut off from payments 18 months ago, including family tax, and have suffered homelessness during that period as a direct result. My anxiety is now off the richter scale, aking it even harder than ever to complete the required paperwork. Especially given I need the money badly but know if I do my tax that Centreliink will just take it anyway.

Seems utterly ridiculous when the amount of family tax they owe after cutting me off exceeds the level of debt!

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

I'm appalled at our government. Why aren't they investing as many resources toward uncovering the blatant fraud of JSPs/