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Post by Banjo on Jun 9, 2011 6:24:34 GMT 7
Reading my file I came up with this.
International Programs, through DIAC, have identified a number of Disability Support Pension recipients who have travelled overseas on at least three occasions since April 2009.
These customers have been selected to determine their qualification &/or payability for DSP and to ascertain how they can afford frequent overseas trips on a fixed income.
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Post by rowdy on Jun 9, 2011 7:11:56 GMT 7
Reading my file I came up with this. International Programs, through DIAC, have identified a number of Disability Support Pension recipients who have travelled overseas on at least three occasions since April 2009.
These customers have been selected to determine their qualification &/or payability for DSP and to ascertain how they can afford frequent overseas trips on a fixed income.Banjo that sounds like reference to the audit they did about a year and a half ago. I was contacted by Centrelink and asked to explain how I could afford frequent overseas travel. The guy that questioned me on the phone conceded that Centrelink were aware that with the rise in budget airlines and lower fares these days it was possible to travel to S.E. Asia on a DSP. Nonetheless he asked me to provide a statutory declaration. When I was back in Australia 6 weeks later I contacted this person as I hadn't received the stat dec he said he would send out to me and which I was to send back. His response, "oh I closed your file all okay", but since you have called I will get you to send a stat dec anyway" (typical huh). He also informed me that Centrelink would access my bank accounts. At the time I was earning some income in Australia which was declared to Centrelink. To cut to the chase I had a voice-mail message left on my phone (which I still have) about 2 weeks later saying, "we have conducted an audit, everything is okay with your frequent travel, thank you for assisting in the audit process". Banjo as you said in a post a few days ago, if you are honest with Centrelink you should have no problems. Note I said 'should' doesn't mean if you play by the rules that they necessarily will. |
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Post by Banjo on Jun 9, 2011 8:21:02 GMT 7
Looks like they ran the investigation and selected a few that never came up to scratch and summarily cut off their pensions.
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Post by Banker on Jun 9, 2011 9:08:20 GMT 7
Reading my file I came up with this. International Programs, through DIAC, have identified a number of Disability Support Pension recipients who have travelled overseas on at least three occasions since April 2009.
These customers have been selected to determine their qualification &/or payability for DSP and to ascertain how they can afford frequent overseas trips on a fixed income.When I first went overseas while on DSP we had to return to Australia within one year then all the changes came. Lucky for me I was Grandfathered on the old rules. If I had been forced to return every 13 weeks I could not have done it because of my health. An eight hour plane trip lays me up for days. Thats the reason I dont return to see family & friends very often. Its not hard to prove to C/L how the cost of living is so much cheaper in SEAsia than Australia. The rent I pay here would not get you a tent in a park in Australia. |
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Post by latindancer on Jun 9, 2011 15:16:26 GMT 7
That would explain being detained by immigration while entering AND exiting Australia many times over the last few years. Not sure what you mean, RTD. Did Immigration detain and ask you how you were affording it all ? I got frisked last time I left Oz, but usually when returning, the beagle sniffs out my fiancee's durian purchases still smelling out my bag.....sometimes from 2 weeks previously. A brief explanation usually does the trick. |
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Post by Banjo on Jun 9, 2011 18:33:09 GMT 7
I have a good friend living in Asia who was a former immigration officer.
He told me a few stories about how they work and often they get blamed for the actions of customs, who they despise.
Customs are great grudge holders, what may seem like a minor incident when a tired arrival snarls at a too officious customs officer can come back to haunt him for years.
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Post by Banker on Jun 9, 2011 18:42:09 GMT 7
I have a good friend living in Asia who was a former immigration officer. He told me a few stories about how they work and often they get blamed for the actions of customs, who they despise. Customs are great grudge holders, what may seem like a minor incident when a tired arrival snarls at a too officious customs officer can come back to haunt him for years. That has happened to me after I told a Customs officer what my thoughts were of him in 1984 & it is still coming back to haunt me.  |
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