Dispute process takes up to six weeks, but debts need repayment before that.
Brett, a man from Sydney, told The Huffington Post Australia last week how Centrelink had levelled him with a $2360 debt for a time before he had ever even applied for welfare. Speaking further to HuffPost Australia on Thursday, Brett said he had been told by Centrelink staff to begin paying his debt, even though he was disputing it.
"I went to an office, told them my story and the receptionist put me on the phone to someone. I thought it was a little funny, because I'd tried calling maybe 50 times in the last few days," Brett said.
"I spoke to a lady who confirmed my suspicions, that there's nothing that can be done about the debt before a lengthy review process plays out."