Not on any benefits at the moment but my sister who recently got on Newstart told me that she does everything online now. Is this true? Like you don’t have to go into job providers anymore? When did they change this? So all the job providers centres all got bankrupt from this?
A week ago, I shared my anonymous, independently-led 10-15 minute survey documenting the human cost of the Partner Income Test. (Original post here).
The survey has received over 500 responses and is still open for responses until Friday 1st May 2026.
Find more information and take the survey here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScjxWRvcKN2RSChd1y9r0_N_fUT3mHT2HFTIIVaJvospwbQ3w/viewform?usp=dialog
Thank you so much to everyone who has taken the time to share their story, and the survey. Feel free to reach out at EndthePIT@proton.me
(Thank you to the Centrelink and CentrelinkOz mods for allowing the original post to stay up, this post is to continue gathering responses and update the survey closing date).
My friend felt that I have gone downhill since last seeing me and suggested that I try and claim the Disability Pension due to what I’m going through. I’m currently been having great anxiety, depression, no motivation, different moods swings, hearing voices, trauma, grieving from loss and drug addiction dependancy.
I haven’t seen a doctor for a very long time ever since my doctor retired and my friend told me to start going to see a new doctor so I can start doing all the things to get the claim.
Now I have a few questions:
- Those who have great experience with Disability Pension will I be eligible for the Disability Pension? What conditions do you all have that got you on the Disability Pension? Could you share some information and tips on how to go about it the right way so I get a successful claim etc?
- How long will this whole process usually take?
- When I start going to see a new doctor what should I tell him? I don’t know how to lay it out to a new doctor need some help.
Please if you have any info and tips please share. I’m really going through it at the moment and it’s been so hard. Feel so alone.
Hi everyone - I am a reporter with Guardian Australia. I often write about Centrelink and have chatted with some of you for other stories.
Do you have to use your car because there is no public transport in your area? Do you have to do mutual obligations right now? Would you feel comfortable chatting for a story? Please message me here or email: cait.kelly@theguardian.com
I just received a "Request for Information" letter via MyGov regarding my income from three years ago. Apparently, Centrelink’s new AI cross-referenced my ATO data and found a "discrepancy." I thought they weren't allowed to do the "averaged income" thing anymore after the Robodebt scandal? This letter is asking me to provide payslips from a company that doesn't even exist anymore. Is anyone else getting these "compliance check" letters in 2026? It feels like they've just rebranded the old system with a shiny new algorithm. Should I call Legal Help (EJA) immediately or try to find the records myself?
Did yours get approved, rejected, or just stuck in limbo? And did you have to keep chasing it up?
i submitted my claim on 18 feb 2026 and its been more than 2 months that i havent heard anything form them it says the claim is in progress and also when i call the youth line the ai response and says just wait. is there any one there having the same issue? and the students who get it how long they waited for?
So I started full time studying at the start of the year and tried claiming Austudy to help with the financial side of things while doing full time study.
I've been waiting months to get this claim sorted and have sent everything they asked for. Then waited more and sent more stuff. Then they have came back with a Claim Rejected notice but haven't said why.
The last thing I sent through was a record of prior study. This was after having to back and forth for months of sending other documents. After sending through study transcripts, my claim has been cancelled.
The extremely frustrating thing was I spoke to someone before I started my claim and told them about my previous study and asked them if this would impact my claim. As I didn't want to go through all the work of doing a claim just to have previous study invalidate it. They checked my previous study history and came back and said that it shouldn't impact my claim and that I'm right to go ahead.
After months of going back and forth, hours on the phone, getting cut off from automated calls, dealing with people who couldn't help me and handing in every form and document they requested, I've now had my claim thrown out after months of trying to get this sorted. After this I'm absolutely burned out and gutted by this.
I don't even know if it's worth trying to follow this up with them or just accept the fact I'm screwed.
I’m keeping this as a backup option in case I don’t get a job or can’t get the DSP.
I understand I’d have to list the newly created super account, for the income stream to come from, as an asset.