44 Day Overseas Trip on DSP... do I have a problem?

[scott]

Hello everyone,

This is my first post, so thanks in advance for your patience.

I am on DSP and have not been overseas in more than a year!

I have booked a flight to Thailand from January 2014 returning to Oz in March 2014. I will be overseas 2 days longer than the 6 weeks I believe Centrelink now allows. The reason I did this was that it was going to cost me several hundred dollars more to fly back any earlier.

Does anyone know if Centrelink will have an issue with this?

I was thinking that I could possibly call Centrelink a few days before I am due to return and B.S. them that I can not fly because I have an ear infection. Then advise them that my return will be delayed and I will be overseas for 44 days instead of the allowed 42.

Do they make an allowance of a few days over the 6 week allowance if your return is delayed due to illness?

Thanks a million for your feedback as this whole thing is causing me huge stress.

[Banjo]

Welcome to the forum Scott.

there will be no problem returning 2 days late, Centrelink will suspend your payments for the 2 days then reinstate them on your return so you will be that much out of pocket.
Make sure you ring them to tell them you are back.

I ever never heard of anyone successfully being paid for an overstay because of illness even though it is clearly written into the rules.
You would need documentation from your doctor in Australia and then try to claim it on return.

Enjoy your trip and stay safe.

[scott]

Thanks very much for your prompt response Mr Banjo!

I have realised that I may actually not have a problem. Let me try to explain.

I leave Australia on January 23 and arrive back in Australia on March 7. In my original calculations I was thinking that the day of January 23 and the day of March 7 would be counted as me being overseas. But I am wondering - is this assumption wrong?

In other words, would it be correct to say that the day of departure from Australia and the day of arrival back in Australia are NOT counted as days overseas?

I hope my question is not confusing everyone! Thanks again for helping me understand all this stuff.

[scott]

Okay. I have called Centrelink and had to speak to a supervisor to get an answer to the question I asked above.

FYI, Centrelink considers the day of departure to be OUTSIDE Australia, and the day of return to be INSIDE Australia.

Confusing huh? You think they would just consider both either inside Australia or outside Australia. But that is Centrelink for you.

[Deleted]

Scott
We are talking about Centrelink.
The make up there own rules to suit themselves.
No one can understand how they work or think.
Keep us advised as how you went after your return to Oz

[anotherdsp]

to scott when you pass through immigration you are out of aust,it must of been funny when people were flying in an out on the same day? lol

[Banjo]

There were plenty doing it and Centrelink turned a blind eye for years, then destroyed lives by changing policy.