Thread: When Centrelink stuffs up they hide behind legislation!

Our son Brendon is studying at a Uni in Japan on a course for his Australian university he is registered in. He receives a youth allowance from Centre Link.
He came back to Australia during the mid year break, and had to reapply for his youth allowance when he returned for this semester to Japan.

His second payment received was considerably higher than what he was previously receiving. So Heather rang Centrelink to ask why , thinking Centrelink had made an error. Heather was told, oh Brendons youth allowance went up as he is being paid a living away from home allowance and was entitled to this.

So Heather said, why didn't he get it the first semester?, the reply was the centrelink staff member did not process his application correctly, didn't mark the correct section. Heather was also told he was entitled to it for the first semester and an appeal will be submitted so he can get back paid for it. about $1500 , So after a couple of months we get a letter to say his appeal has been refused, the excuse is the legislation only allow 13 weeks to apply.

Heather spent another hour on the phone today, and got the onus is on us to make sure we check all out entitlements not centrelink check the web site she was told. So because of some staff member not doing their job correctly and is not held accountable they put it under legislation rules. So much for Centrelink helping people to make sure they get what they are entitled to, no they want you to do what all the scammers do, troll through web sites and pic every clause you can get money out of.
I think this is very wrong, If you make a mistake they come down on you, but when they stuff up they say, so stiff cheddar.

The woman Heather spoke to at Centrelink said there was no one higher to appeal to, she said it's legislation. Heather eventually got her to give info on a independent review tribunal which Heather rang and we will take it further.

So Centrelink seems to put the onus on the customer all the time, if you don't mark a form correctly, they over pay you they recoup money , no time limit I notice . If Centrelink doesn't mark a form correctly then the put the onus on the customer. Seems a win win situation for them .
Regards, Mario

Originally Posted by loneranger

It took me about 2 minutes to find this on the Centrelink website. I'm surprised someone with the attitude of the person you dealt with wouldn't be familiar with the complaints process.

https://www.humanservices.gov.au/cus...ws-and-appeals

Every time you deal with Centrelink you get told something else.
They tried to tell Brendon he was not entitled to youth allowance as he was studying overseas. This was then correct by a Centrelink supervisor as he was entitled as he was registered with Swinburne uni and was doing a course approved by them at the overseas campus. The stopped his payment whilst he was over in Japan, but reinstated it shortly after with back pay as they were wrong.

They knew he was overseas in Japan on the first semester, they knew he was out of the country, but they stuffed up and didn't pay the living away allowance.
They know he is coming home on Christmas eve and sent us a letter to say they are stopping his living away from home allowance, they are quick to tell you these things, but when they stuff up and admit it you have to wait almost 8 weeks for a review . The Local Centrelink supervisor said Brendon was entitled to the payment for 1st semester but she could not authorise it, she told Heather that a process has to be followed up in Canberra and the original operator the entered the data has to be interviewed and then a senior person would make the decision.

I can understand why Centrelink customers get frustrated angry and swear at the staff, as a lot of dealings we have had with Centrelink have been frustrating with misinformation, repeated phone calls , told to do it online, when it can't be done online , general buck passing that wears you down. All this must be saving the Government money as by stuffing customers around they don't pay out and people give up.