Nai- been to the accountant already beut he didn't mention anything about it- I actually only realised myself after i looked at the copy of my completed tax return and it stated my income as $22 000, instead of $5000. Should I go back, do you think?

Astrid- I got two seperate PAYG summaries- one for fringe benfits, stating the $542 gross and $17 000 reportable, and one for my 'cash' (not cash but into my savings account, where the fringe is only accessible on credit card) for $4500 (roughly). I worked one month as a permanant part time employee (paid part in cash and part in fringe, to the value of about $2000) and for the rest I was paid as a casual (while still on maternity leave as a permanent employee). So the $5000 was the actual real amount of money I earned.

Oh dear. Maybe I really do need to go back to the accountant. Satya you are totally right- you need to be so careful with Centrelink. I tussled with them over youth allowance the whole time I was at uni- I really should know better