Revealed: some Australians have overpaid their Centrelink debt by more than $20,000
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/oct/24/revealed-some-australians-have-overpaid-their-centrelink-debt-by-more-than-20000
39 points · 7 comments · view on lemmy.world
7 Comments
Ilandar@lemmy.today · 17 pts · 296d
So if we "owe" you, you'll hound us with debt collectors until we kill ourselves, but if you owe us it's just "trust me bro"?
sqgl@sh.itjust.works · 7 pts · 295d
They inexplicably tripled Mum's daily aged care fees. They admitted their error when I rang but said they wouldn't amend until the next quarterly review (in two months time!).
I asked for a letter acknowledging the error so that I could get the nursing home off our back but Services Australia said they can't do that: "just keep paying the wrong fees in the meantime... trust us bro".
They made a similar error a year later, backdating it ten years for a $108k false debt.
The aged care regulator, ACQSC, have been blatantly lying in emails to cover it all up.
And to top it all off there is Public Trustee foul play suspected.
I wrote to this journalist five days ago but have not received a response or even a read receipt yet. I imagine she is inundated.
Ilandar@lemmy.today · 2 pts · 295d
It's frustrating that this Labor government is so cowardly, because with the Coalition being a complete shambles now is the perfect time for them to actually look at big social services reform. We are well past the critical mass point with so many stories like yours.
spiffmeister@aussie.zone · 3 pts · 295d
Well yeah obviously, what are the poors gonna do about it?
Taleya@aussie.zone · 12 pts · 296d
I'm sure they'll be repaid with punitive interest /s
Seagoon_@aussie.zone · 3 pts · 296d
sue them and sue hard
sqgl@sh.itjust.works · 2 pts · 295d
Litigation isn't like Hollywood movies. No matter how good your evidence, you can still lose and then have to pay not only for your own legal fees (about $100k) but for the other side too (another $100k).