A MOUNT Coolum couple is still reeling after receiving a letter from Centrelink 11 days before Christmas advising them they owed nearly $7000.

The letter, one of thousands sent out by the human services agency, claimed the couple were overpaid for their parenting payment in 2013.

And it included a $635 "debt recovery fee" for a debt they never owed.

Letter of demand from Centrelink.

After hours on the phone, trying to have meetings in the Centrelink office and countless sleepless nights, Centrelink has now revoked the debt claim.

In a letter received on January 10, Centrelink sent another letter advising "your debt amount has changed".

"We are writing to you about your Paid Parental Leave debt. Based on the information you provided to us, we have decided there is overpayment. This means there is no debt," Centrelink chief executive delegate manager Lee Robertson wrote.

Letters of demand and then withdrawal from Centrelink.

There was no apology and absolutely no recognition of the pain and angst the letter had caused the family.

The husband said when his wife tried to phone Centrelink on December 15 to inquire about the letter, she was "put on hold for 45 minutes before the line cut out".

The next day, she spent another 90 minutes on hold before speaking to someone who advised her she had to approach her employers in the 2013/14 calendar year to obtain pay slips and letters of resignation to prove the overpayment didn't occur.

But she had resigned from one of her jobs because her former employer had allegedly sexually harassed her and the thought of contacting him again was traumatic.

The husband said what made him decide to highlight the letter and treatment by Centrelink was listening to Human Services Minister Alan Tudge say on radio on January 11 there was "nothing wrong" with what happened.

Reader poll What do you think of the Centrelink system? This poll ended on 24 January 2017. Current Results It's a joke and it's ruining people's lives 71% It's broken and needs fixing 25% It's working just fine 2% This is not a scientific poll. The results reflect only the opinions of those who chose to participate.

Mr Tudge said on ABC the government wanted to make sure people get "the entitlements they are entitled to, no more and no less".

"The system is working," Mr Tudge said.

"I am not aware of individuals who are completely convinced they don't owe money and have been given a debt notice."

The husband said this interview "tipped me over the edge", particularly as the minister said the Centrelink telephone average wait time was 11 minutes.

"If something like this happened in the public sector, the business would be bankrupt or it would go to the ombudsman for extortion," he said.

Adding insult to injury was reading how politicians were continuously being allowed to get away with their travel expenses and claims.

Health Minister Sussan Ley has been under fire for charging taxpayers for personal expenses.

Ms Ley admitted to charging taxpayers twice when she shouldn't have. She has stood aside without pay while the matter is being investigated.

"Pollies get away with their expenses and claims," the husband said.

Speaking to Fairfax media, Mr Tudge said yesterday (January 11), Centrelink's systems were working "as intended" and indicated only the most minor of changes were anticipated by the government.