General Chat

Went to Centrelink today to query whether we were still eligible for the Seniors Health Care Card.

Ours was renewed automatically in September. It is Income Tested and we thought that we may well have been over that limit.

We decided to go today as we had been advised that late Wednesdays were the best time to visit to avoid the 'crush'

Arrived at 1530, apart from one other client, the place was empty. Told the clerk why were there and asked to take a chair.

We were seen about ten minutes later and explained why we thought that we may be over the income level.

The person we saw immediately told us our superannuation balances as at the end of September, our income from overseas (UK pensions) and after consulting with a Financial adviser said that we were within the limits.

That was good news, but to think that once in the system, access to all your financial details are available for all their staff to see :-0

Does make you wonder who knows what about you at any given time doesn't it Allan :-)

At least we got the answer we wanted :-D

Every other time we've been to the local office it has been chokers.

Covid19, despite the devastation, has had some good, unintentional, side effects.

I still suspect that the answer was wrong, but who am I to argue with bureaucrats :-D :-D

Keep your heads below the parapets, Allan - lie low in case they get back to you with a demand! ;-)

I like confirmation e-mails - evidence of what they said!
Then if they're in the wrong, you can point out it's their mistake, and pay anything back at £5 a month!

There will be a record of our meeting as our details were taken down for the purposes of Covid tracing, should such be necessary :-D

Asking for a confirmatory email from an Australian Government Department is like trying to empty a bucket of water with a sieve.

Even when emails exist officials still deny it, as has been shown in the recent inquiry into the State of Victoria's second wave of Covid.

I've tried to find a link but most are to subscription news sites :-(

I suppose their having to take your details is one bonus of covid!

I had awful trouble when I went to Uni.
I was accused by the CSA of working, and not going to Uni. I worked in September, got paid in October - Uni started in October. I knew I was right, I had started Uni, but had to provide evidence, which I could, and awaited with glee the pending court case.
Unfortunately they realised their mistake before we went to court, didn't apologise, told me 'not to do it again'!

Five years after Uni, I was told I hadn't paid enough rent while I was at Uni, and owed the Council hundreds of pounds. I informed them they had the details, it was their fault, not mine. I would pay it back at £5 a month. They had to agree.

THEN the Council accused me of not paying enough Council Tax as the electoral register showed 2 people living at my address. My children had left home, and youngest was at Uni in Brighton. I had to explain that, as a student she could be registered here, and at Brighton, but this wasn't her main address, as she was at Uni more than here.
Believe it or not, the Electoral people then told me I couldn't have a person registered to vote if they didn't live here! Had to explain it in words of one syllable to them :-S

I think the ability for students to register in 2 places has now been stopped, due to the 'gross' number of double votes (about 9 in the whole country).