Thread: When Centrelink stuffs up they hide behind legislation!

A young rellie of ours has just had problem with the health service in WA. Hospital where scans were done on her new born failed to send info. through to local hospital.... apparently the office (read seat polishers) have knocked off for Xmas.
Absolute disgrace that such a vital system is so top heavy with dead weight.
AlanH.

"All this must be saving the Government money as by stuffing customers around they don't pay out and people give up."

You hit the nail on the head.....

Years ago I had a similar thing. I was 8 months pregnant with my second child when my name came up on the list for a housing commission house. As I only had one child I was only eligible for a 2 bedroom unit, but someone actually saw sense and said as I would have another child in a few weeks, they would let me have a normal 3 bedroom house. All I had to do was take in the baby's birth certificate when he was born, which I did. A year later I got a letter in the mail saying I owed them $300 as I never informed them that the baby was born (they thought I was still pregnant lol). Apparently, there was a form that I was suppose to fill in when I handed in the birth certificate. I took this all the way to a court in Melbourne, I had a Stat Dec from my sister who was with me when I handed in the Birth Cert. and I argued the fact that how could I fill in a form that I didn't know needed to be filled in, I had done all that I had been asked to do at the time. Well I lost, I was informed that it is the customers responsibility to fill in all forms required even if they don't know the form exists. I am still annoyed over this 24 years later.

Just to let you know there is further steps you can take if you don't get any satisfaction with the AAT. I have just been through the AAT about a problem with my sons Youth Allowance. He was told incorrect information and was prevented from applying within the correct time frame. We have proof of this as it was all documented. We lost with the AAT, but the person who handled our case was very sympathetic. They informed me that the AAT can only go on legislation and only deals with law issues. There was nothing they can do even though they could see how this was not my son's fault. They advised me to fill in a compensation form directly with Centrelink as that department goes on a case to case base and if I had no satisfaction with them then to go to the Commonwealth Ombudsman's Office. We are now waiting to see what happens, but it looks hopeful as I have had a phone call from a woman who hands over the form to the Compensation Department and she told me she believed my son will be back paid the money. But then again she also said we would hear the result last week which we didn't.

The thing with forms and onus on everyone else and use the internet. What about all those people that do use computers, or are not internet savvy like some elderly, that rely on duty of care.

My eldest grand daughter has just applied for the Youth Allowance - for the third time, Centrelink having lost the first two applications.

John

This really rustles my jimmies.

https://au.news.yahoo.com/a/30512118...in-debt/#page1
You are far from alone. Centrelink has a big history of ripping off welfare recipients.

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