"SPER is always willing to reach acceptable payment arrangements based on individual's ... circumstances. We take a tailored approach, depending on an individual's entire debt history & circumstances, & a range of payment options are available." brisbanetimes.com.au/politics/queen…
BULLSHIT!
BULLSHIT!
@brisbanetimes, @fel_caldwell, @jackietrad, @QldGov: I can personally attest that this is not the case after numerous attempts to request a payment plan via Centrepay which our position of financial hardship would allow, of $10 per fortnight via Centrepay.
I was repeatedly told that was not enough, that a minimum payment of $25 would be required for a plan to be put into place, while they threatened to take money from my bank next payday instead. It doesn't surprise me lower socioeconomic regions are branded the 'worst suburbs'...
When even our best attempts to make things right are met with refusals, threats, & stress. Yesterday, I was granted the opportunity to submit a request to be considered for reduced repayments, begrudgingly, pending their review of 3 months of my financials...
Bank statements, Centrelink statements, lease agreement, other financial commitments, all of which may or may not be enough to convince them - allow me to pay $10p/f. I'm on DSP, partner is on carers, neither of us work. I'd asked for this consideration before but was refused it.
If they say no, I have no idea what we'll do. I was briefly hopeful when I saw the Work & Development Order Scheme may be possible, but told today it's still not. Managing work/comm.
service isn't possible for me (psychosocial disability), but I do go to mental health treatment.
service isn't possible for me (psychosocial disability), but I do go to mental health treatment.
Oh, & want to know the best part? This is over 2 x council parking infringements, totalling $175, which @cityofgoldcoast refused to let me repay in installments before they went to SPER, & I now owe over double that amount! It's going up & I'm virtually powerless to stop it...
I'd hazard a guess I'm not the only person in this predicament, either. May be worth speaking to the people with the fines too, not just the ones who enforce the scheme, next time - perhaps they're not evading them, they're just struggling! And have a heart, & actually help them.
Ping @LawRightQLD , @QCOSS_ , @CLC_Qld too - this system is broken, please help us make it work for everyone, & stick up for us who can't get a break... this is cruel & heartless, & so disempowering.
Another interesting thing, my partner has been paying off his SPER debt, $10 a fortnight via Centrepay, like I asked, & has been for just under a year... So it's now harder to pay fines off than it was then, not easier, as the article claims. Not according to my study anyway...
@threadreaderapp , please #unroll
