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Australian citizen married a 457 Visa, Centrelink rights denied!

usedshed
Community Member

Hello to everyone,

I've been diagnosed with PTSD due to past toxic workplace bullying and harassment and I'm receiving Disability Pension support, long story.

I recently married a foreigner woman with a 5 years old baby who are on a 457 Visa.

We went several times to Centrelink to update the new family status, the staff automatically reduced my fortnight payment because they said now I'm married without even seeing my wife's pay slips, they also denied us any family, child and tax benefits.

Something I want to ask (probably stupid) is, are we both eligible to receive DSP payments as a couple?

I do understand that my wife and baby are on a 457 Visa and so there are some restrictions but my DSP was reduced due that now I'm married plus my family and tax allowances are being denied so what about my Rights as an Australian citizen?

I feel like a foreigner in my country, what is your opinion/ knowledge regarding this racist and confusing (toward me) Immigration rules? Why I've a family but I may not access to my Rights? Should I still be proud of being Australian?

Can anyone please give me some directions?

7 Replies 7

Quiettall
Blue Voices Member
Blue Voices Member

Hi there

In a situation like this, I would seek an appointment to go and see the Centrelink Social Worker or Manager to explain what your situation is. My experience with Centrelink is that unless you give them the whole picture, they tend to assume lots and not take into account mitigating circumstances.

Thank for support.

I made an online complaint so I need to give them a chance EVEN so in the past I complained for other issues but they never replayed!

I already dealt with a "cold" Supervisor who input wrong details regarding my residence address, she did it on purpose either that day she had personal problems.

So still waiting for my DSP (already 1 week delay) and I worry that now something is wrong regarding my file!

Quiettall
Blue Voices Member
Blue Voices Member

Hi there again

As you said, give them a chance to get back to you. If you have not received satisfactory response from Centrelink, you can either take it up with management, or as a last resort, you could approach the Commonwealth Ombudsman. That office researches complaints about any Government agency (Federal or Commonwealth) and follows through to see what has happened, by whom, and whether you have been treated fairly.

Good luck and lets know how you go

Quiettall said:

you could approach the Commonwealth Ombudsman.

Bad memories about the Ombudsman trashing my complaint to the ATO, after 1+ year of fighting and cornering their pity lies, their last conclusion was that my case "is NOT in the public interest"!

I have read on the web that the Ombudsman can't handle anymore the rise of complaints from the Centrelink so I have zero hope in them, my last resort will be the Tribunal.

Quiettall said:

As you said, give them a chance to get back to you

As expected Centrelink has NOT replayed to my complaint as usual!

I made the complaint on their online form and this means that I have no copy of it so I need to write it again from scratch if I want to purse the action further!!!

Is Centrelink even a legit organisation? How rude and incompetent are these people!!!

Quiettall said:

If you have not received satisfactory response from Centrelink, you can either take it up with management

Ok as expected, I went again to Centrelink on Monday 1.30 hour waiting, I asked to talk to a manager.

She approached me very rudely, she said "you spend all this time here why you didn't call Centrelink" I replayed that I would stay 1+ hour on the phone to talk to hopeless people, she again "you have spent 1 hour here why you didn't call them? You came here only to talk about your complaint"???

So basically she refused to deal with my complaint.

I'm definitely waiting the next elections and will not vote, then we see how this scam goes on.......

Sorry for late replay but I've been through serious issues created by the sick 457 Visa.

2 months later since we separated, my wife reported me to Police for harassment, bullying and pedophilia, with the Police report she can send it to the immigration office and get another free stay in Australia, 2nd time in a row.

By the way, I was able to speak to some people on Centrelink's phone but it wasn't an easy task, they pretended that there was no complaint on the system so I had to make another, I had to behave like a stubborn brick wall like old man and finally they found the complaint on the system!

So I was right, my (sick) 457 wife and kid and I were entitled to receive Centrelink Family support.

All good but now we are separated and fighting legal battles.

Hope this could be useful to other people battling Centrelink's uneducated and rude staff, plus guys be careful never marry a temporary resident in Australia because they are ready to do anything to stay, even to abuse the Family Protection Act.