2 Friends who are on the road full time have just been re-access by centrelink . Their asset test were higher because they did not own a home , But because they are claiming rent assistance they are counting their caravan has their home and are being access has a home owner . My be wise to do your sum before claiming rent assistance
The Centrelink rules say you have the option to be a home owner or have your home declared an asset as a non home owner.
The problem is if Centrelink decide you are a home owner then there is nothing you can do about it. I have been all the way through to SSAT and failed. The reason the Centrelink FIO officer claimed I requested to become recorded as a home owner. The interesting thing was I had my financial adviser present at this meeting and he wrote a Statuary Declaration advising it was the FIO that was insisting I was a home owner not me. Legislation does not allow the record of a Centrelink officer to be challenged. The member hearing my case agreed with me but said she could do nothing. Centrelink officers record is to be deemed accurate by legislation regardless of any other facts presented.
It is pathetic, shameful and sad how governments in this country treat pensioners. We are not thieves. Those who are 1/3 our age and are on Centrelink benefits with no plans to get a job ARE the thieves.
Larry
I disagree with some of the comments regarding centrelink having the final say. Under the Social Security Act ALL desisions made by centrelink can and should be challenged, firstly via the local ARO then Social Security Court of Appeal, then the high court if needed.
As far as we are concerned we have equal shares in our caravan and personal chattles that put us well under the limit, I have also insisted that we are NON home owners.
The social security act is full of potholes and loopholes despite the govt trying to tighten them up. ALL your records, documents made by centrelink offices etc are available under freedom of information.
Every time a centrelink officer makes notes about you, you are entitled to read those notes and make corrections if they are wrong (FOI). Just make sure they are accurate and suitable. I have had a few centrelink offices receive a kick in the bum due to non cooperation in this matter, if you stick to your guns and run it up the totem pole you will get a good hearing, if you are in the right.
When I worked for centrelink during the early 2000s EVERY entry that I made in the ISIS system was checked (we called it QAL) and made to be corrected if needed before it hit the system.
Take care and dont let the B#$^ards get at you.
BTW. If you receive unfair, rude or downright objectionable treatment from any centrelink officer, get the officer's details (on the name badge and letters) go to the complaints line and lodge a formal complaint, that scares the hell out of them and a record is made of the complaint for all to see and you get treated a bit better. Conversely if you chuck a wobbly and carry on like a pork chop, there will be an equally permanent record on your record..
-- Edited by Phil C on Monday 15th of September 2014 02:52:31 PM
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P B Crockart EX RAAF Electrician,
Aircraft Avionics tech. Senior high school teacher.
I disagree with some of the comments regarding centrelink having the final say. Under the Social Security Act ALL desisions made by centrelink can and should be challenged, firstly via the local ARO then Social Security Court of Appeal, then the high court if needed.
As far as we are concerned we have equal shares in our caravan and personal chattles that put us well under the limit, I have also insisted that we are NON home owners.
The social security act is full of potholes and loopholes despite the govt trying to tighten them up. ALL your records, documents made by centrelink offices etc are available under freedom of information.
Every time a centrelink officer makes notes about you, you are entitled to read those notes and make corrections if they are wrong (FOI). Just make sure they are accurate and suitable. I have had a few centrelink offices receive a kick in the bum due to non cooperation in this matter, if you stick to your guns and run it up the totem pole you will get a good hearing, if you are in the right.
When I worked for centrelink during the early 2000s EVERY entry that I made in the ISIS system was checked (we called it QAL) and made to be corrected if needed before it hit the system.
Take care and dont let the B#$^ards get at you.
BTW. If you receive unfair, rude or downright objectionable treatment from any centrelink officer, get the officer's details (on the name badge and letters) go to the complaints line and lodge a formal complaint, that scares the hell out of them and a record is made of the complaint for all to see and you get treated a bit better. Conversely if you chuck a wobbly and carry on like a pork chop, there will be an equally permanent record on your record..
-- Edited by Phil C on Monday 15th of September 2014 02:52:31 PM
Thanks Phil. Good post VERY informative.
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Why is it so? Professor Julius Sumner Miller, a profound influence on my life, who explained science to us on TV in the 60's.
Done all the appeals but took 6 years and failed on technicalities. The authorised review officer, after being advised twice to remove himself from my case, was demoted, at which point I made some progress. I found the vast majority of Centrelink staff very helpful although nervous. I found out that I was listed violent and aggressive on my file. I now have , at last count, 8 statements disagreeing and countering that statement. I have always believed that the staff members you meet face to face are not the cause of any issues you may have, they are just the messenger. My solution was to hang up from the Authorised review officer when he began to abuse me and ring straight through to complaints. Takes a while but it has eventually removed him from the Centrelink system. Staff them selves had a less than complementary name they called him and are now pleased that I persisted in assisting to have him removed. Still never helped my SSAT appeal though and the right to have his statements removed from my record.
Lazy arse boffins have nothing better to do than pick on some poor Bas***d who has worked all of his life to have something at the end. Bloody politicians who are worth millions $$ all are entitled to a bloody parliamentary pension that look like telephone numbers indexed for the rest of their miserable existences. It's all BS I reckon. Work hard get penalised, don't work and be supported!! Go figure.
Done all the appeals but took 6 years and failed on technicalities. The authorised review officer, after being advised twice to remove himself from my case, was demoted, at which point I made some progress. I found the vast majority of Centrelink staff very helpful although nervous. I found out that I was listed violent and aggressive on my file. I now have , at last count, 8 statements disagreeing and countering that statement. I have always believed that the staff members you meet face to face are not the cause of any issues you may have, they are just the messenger. My solution was to hang up from the Authorised review officer when he began to abuse me and ring straight through to complaints. Takes a while but it has eventually removed him from the Centrelink system. Staff them selves had a less than complementary name they called him and are now pleased that I persisted in assisting to have him removed. Still never helped my SSAT appeal though and the right to have his statements removed from my record.
Neil
Hi Neil
When I was working at the link the next step after the SSAT was the high court of Australia. Dont know if thats open anymore as i believe it was a free appeal. Sounds like somebody has a real large bur up their backside, If you get a bad nasty on your screen (I think its called a EP36) Its hells own job to have it removed, from memory the officer who placed it there is the only one who can remove it.. (this ALL may be old information)
Thats terrible the ARO was so rude, we complained when an officer made an appointment with us and then told us she was too busy to see us... Made my blood boil that one. That person got some serious sh## chucked at her.
Anyway its the system we have all got to endure, may be broken and slightly insane but it sometimes works to our benifit.
Take care and safe travels
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P B Crockart EX RAAF Electrician,
Aircraft Avionics tech. Senior high school teacher.
