I recently submitted the following complaints to Centrelink with the result both my wife and I received back payments of over $200.00.  The previous time my account was locked in a similar matter for an extended period of time we got nothing despite the fact our assets had fallen considerably with the Covid situation.

I think the following 'complaints' as submitted will be self-explanatory and I trust others who may be in the same boat as myself will similarly complain.

To lodge a lengthy complaint of more than a few lines it is necessary to pre-type the complaint in word then copy and paste into Centrelink's complaint portal.

I have been advised by Your Life Choices to post my complaint in forum and it reads as follows - 

"To The Editor

Your Life Choices

Dear Sir/Madam

I have now been a 'client' of Centrelink for a period in excess of twenty (20) years and in that time have had a number of disagreements/discussions over various aspects of how they run their business and treat their 'clients' with the result of the outcomes coming out pretty even.

Lately, unfortunately, with the Covid I feel it is being used as an excuse for them not to keep up to date and, as such, I believe a considerable number of Pensioners/Retirees etc., may be being severely disadvantaged through not being able to keep their financial records with Centrelink up to date as required BY CENTRELINK.

As a result I have lodged a complaint with Centrelink via their complaint portal as a result of which there is now a second complaint with respect to that portal - a copy of these complaints is to be found below and I believe will be self-explanatory to yourselves.  I have also sent a copy to my local Federal Member, Mr Alan Tudge, for any attention he may deem necessary.

However I am sending this to you with a view to ascertaining how many 'clients' of our dear Centrelink are having similar problems and being shortchanged as a result.  After all even though it may only be a few dollars to some people that is all that is keeping their heads above water.

I'll leave it with you as to what you may decide to do.

Thoroughly enjoy your regular newsletters - keep up the good work.

Kind Regards

Ian Cameron

____________________________________________________________________

I AM SUBMITTING TWO (2) COMPLAINTS FOR YOUR NECESSARY ATTENTION AND THEY ARE AS FOLLOWS:

COMPLAINT #1

FOR SOME YEARS NOW I HAVE BEEN SUBMITTING A REGULAR MONTHLY UPDATE OF MY FINANCIAL ASSETS TO CENTRELINK ACCORDING TO YOUR REQUIREMENTS DUE TO CONSTANT FLUCTUATIONS IN THE AMOUNTS ON HAND. IN THAT TIME THERE HAVE BEEN A COUPLE OF HICCUPS BUT NOTHING OF ANY REAL CONSEQUENCE UNTIL RECENTLY.

AS A RESULT OF COVID THERE HAVE BEEN SOME LARGE FLUCTUATIONS IN THE VALUE OF MY ASSETS IN THE FINANCIAL ASPECTS.

THE YEARS CENTRELINK HAS ALWAYS PUSHED HARD FOR THEIR CLIENTS TO IMMEDIATELY ADVISE VARIANCES OF MORE THAN $1,000.00 ON ANY ITEM.

I HAVE BEEN COMPLYING WITH THIS REQUIREMENT TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY AND IT HAS BEEN GETTING SUCCESSFULLY DEALT WITH BY YOUR OFFICE UNTIL, IN EARLY 2022, MY ACCOUNT WAS ‘LOCKED PENDING UPDATE’.

I WAITED AND TIME WENT BY WITH THE ACCOUNT NOT BEING RELEASED AND AFTER SIX TO SEVEN WEEKS OR SO I CONTACTED YOUR CALL CENTRE – THE OPERATOR ABOUT WHOM I HAVE NO COMPLAINTS WAS ABLE TO UPDATE MY ACCOUNT WITH THE VARIANCES BUT COULD NEITHER CLEAR THE ACCOUNT HERSELF NOR RECTIFY THE AMOUNTS WHICH HAD OR HAD NOT BEEN PAID APPROPRIATELY BY YOUR OFFICE. SHE STATED SHE WOULD FORWARD A MEMO TO THE APPROPRIATE SECTION TO CLEAR THE ACCOUNT. THE ACCOUNT WAS DULY CLEARED AND I AGAIN HAD ACCESS TO PERFORM UPDATES.

I DULY DID ANOTHER UPDATE IN JUNE AS A RESULT OF WHICH MY ACCOUNT WAS AGAIN LOCKED AS OF 20/06/22 ‘PENDING UPDATE’ AGAIN FROM THE CENTRELINK END.

AS OF WRITING THIS COMPLAINT MY FILE IS STILL LOCKED, A PERIOD OF EIGHT WEEKS, WITH NO INDICATION OR MESSAGE AS TO WHY OR WHEN IT WILL BE CLEARED FOR MY USE.

I WOULD POINT OUT I AM RELUCTANT TO HAVE TO SIT ON A PHONE FOR WHAT IS NORMALLY HOURS WAITING FOR SOMEONE, WHO MAY OR MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ASSIST ME, TO ANSWER AS I AM AN UNPAID CARER FOR SEVERAL DISABLED PERSONS.

WHAT IS ANNOYING ME IS THAT, AS A RESULT OF CENTRELINK’S FAILURES TO KEEP FILES UPDATED MY WIFE AND I ARE MISSING OUT ON MONIES TO WHICH WE ARE LEGALLY ENTITLED AS I IMAGINE IS HAPPENING TO A LARGE NUMBER OF OTHERS, MANY OF WHOM WILL BE FACING FINANCIAL HARDSHIP AS A RESULT AND POSSIBLY GOING TO THE WALL OR SUFFERING MENTALLY THROUGH NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN.

IT HAS BECOME OBVIOUS THAT IF CENTRELINK IS LOSING OUT ALL HELL CAN BREAK LOOSE YET IF A CLIENT IS LOSING OUT THEY DON’T APPEAR TO GIVE A DAMN OR EVEN BOTHER TO COMMUNICATE. IT IS AN OUTRIGHT DISGRACE AND DISPLAYS A VERY BAD FLAW IN THE SYSTEM – PLEASE FIX THIS PROBLEM AS A MATTER OF URGENCY AND COMMUNICATE THAT IT HAS BEEN ATTENDED TO AND FULLY FIXED.

COMPLAINT #2

THE WEBSITE ON WHICH YOU EXPECT PEOPLE TO MAKE COMPLAINTS APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN DESIGNED TO MAKE IT HARD FOR PEOPLE TO COMPLAIN AND I WOULD GO SO FAR AS TO INTIMATE IT HAS BEEN MADE THAT WAY TO PREVENT COMPLAINTS COMING IN.

THE SITE DOES NOT ALLOW EVEN A COMPETENT TYPIST TO TELL THEIR STORY PROPERLY BEFORE IT ANNOUNCES THAT ‘TIME HAS EXPIRED’ AND DISCONNECTS THE PERSON USING SAME WITHOUT SAVING OR SENDING WHAT THAT PERSON HAS BEEN PUTTING TOGETHER.

FIX IT"

P.S. Despite being told the complaint with respect to their 'complaints portal' that someone would contact me concerning the problems encountered that has not occurred to date.

Regards to all

Noremaci