Weekly Carers Allowance should be the same as unemployment benefits

Weekly carers allowance – should be higher

$63.50 per week, $1 an hour

Centrelink legislation to be updated so all carers are able to backdate their allowance, to when they gave up their career.

There should be a 6 week grace period of time after the death of a loved one as there are huge expenses. $372.00 is not a huge amount of money but will help every carer.

Centrelink legislation to be updated so the Carers Allowance is connected to their Loved One who has dementia, so when their loved one passes, their Weekly Carers Allowance automatically stops, so there is no debt that carers are harassed for.

Just because Centrelink advised you when you received the carers allowance, you have to advise them, how many noticed this? You are so frantic trying to look after a loved one, you don’t have time to read the fine print.

We had no debt, when mum was diagnosed in 2013 and I was in full time employment

I have had the debt collectors after me for over payment of my carers allowance by $372.00, have appealed this decision, as I never received mum’s homecare package of $55,000 pa because Centrelink lost the paperwork 4 times. I refuse to pay it. There are so many carers who never received a homecare package and then are harassed for the reimbursement of their carers allowance.

Because I want this legislation changed for everyone so it is consistent, fair and just.

My mightiest sword the pen has worked its magic again. 2.30pm 27 August 2019.

Had a call on behalf of the Federal Centrelink Minister the Honourable Stuart Robert who I wrote to last week regarding my outstanding carers allowance debt of $372.00

They assured me, with the Administrative Appeals Tribunal in September, this would not stop me from leaving the country to attend a world dementia conference in Rome. As this was worrying me.

I worked till midnight Thursday night and all Friday morning on my documents and evidence of my story and why this is so unjust for all carers. I attended the Administrative Appeals Tribunal 13 September 2019 re my unjust debt of $372.00 for my carers allowance over payment to appeal this debt.

Did you know financial hardship is not a reason for AAP tribunal to dismiss my debt of carers allowance over payment, it was irrelevant Centrelink lost my paperwork 4 times and Mum never received a homecare package of $55,000.

According to the legislation it is irrelevant I have paid for everything and done all the work, given up my career and because I have assets, I must pay it. According to the legislation I owe $372.00 the government.

I have worked 7 days a week for nothing since 2015, cannot pay my bills and do not live extravagantly. Am drowning in debt when I have sacrificed everything.

I told the judge my story, my dream to change the world and to speak at the United Nations in New York as an advocate for all carers. She wished me well and said it was a privilege to meet me.

The tribunal declined my appeal received their letter 18 Sept 2019

Unless you have lived it, no one has any idea how hard it is to change adult pull ups and the poop goes everywhere. How hard it is to shower and dress them, when they scream as if you are murdering them. How hard it is to answer all their relentless repetitive questions. As they decline you have to pick up everything, they can no longer do anymore. Bureacrats all need to spend a week with a full time carer looking after their loved one, who does not have a homecare package and see what we do, dealing with double incontinence and their world of dementia, 7 days a week.

Until it happens to your family, no one has any idea how very hard it is.

I am absolutely livid, when I read on one of my dementia carer Facebook groups just now, if you receive a carer payment and your loved one has gone into full time care, you receive another 14 weeks of payments to help you adjust. Plus on the same post on Facebook “ I knew they paid another 14 weeks if they pass away”

This was no accident that I saw this post, meant to be, we need consistent just and fair legislation and rules for everyone.

This is criminal, cruel and heartless for those who only receive a carers allowance and have done all the work, paid for everything. Why is everything such a big secret?

19 Sept 2019 I have just written to AAT, RC and various politicians re my unjust debt of $372.00 am appealing the unjust decision

It’s outrageous when there is compassion for those on a carers payment who have made the heartbreaking and devastating decision to put their loved one into full time care, as they can no longer manage looking after them, or they have passed.

Yet there is none for carers who are organising a funeral and have sacrificed everything and done all the caring, when they could not access any assistance. It should be exactly the same and why is it not ? If I lose the next appeal and have no further avenues I will join the class action against Centrelink re unjust debts.

Carers are saving this country alone $60 billion pa and we are hounded for repayments of a carers allowance.

How much money has the government wasted on debt collectors, the tribunal, the paperwork preparation and letters over my unjust debt of $372.00 ????

Far easier to go after the vulnerable little people, as most will just give in, pay and have no voice

If this was the private sector, they would not be demanding payment when they lost the paperwork 4 times and never received any assistance !!!

Yet so many companies and high end individuals, don’t pay any tax, so many don’t pay any land tax. The bureacrats don’t want to change anything, because that will mean they will have to work !!!

I have appealed again this decision

I wrote again another furious letter and said I would never pay this unjust debt and if need be would join the class action against Centrelink. The Litigation Department of Human Services rang me Friday 8 November 2019 and said they are waving the unjust debt of my carers allowance of $372.00 am thrilled.