The Law is an Ass!

So.....a few days ago I had a phone call from a woman about the money that I am owed on my Carer's Pension because someone at Centerlink made a mistake and took an amount, I had written on my application form, of $225 to mean £225, thus I have been underpaid just over $100 a fortnight for a year.It seems that she has looked at the case and I am not going to be paid the money owed because I had a letter apparently, last May, which outlined what I was to be paid and I did not pick it up and inform them about it.I don't remember the letter nor can I find it in all the correspondence I have kept.It is all set out in the legislation apparently regarding informing clients and the period of time open for reply and dispute and my time has passed.I told her I didn't dispute it because I didn't know about it and that I assumed that they had done their maths correctly."We are a big organisation and sometimes we get things wrong," she said."Yes, you got it wrong but it is my fault for not informing you of something I wasn't aware of?""Yes," she said."If it had been the other way around and I was the one that owed you money you would pursue it no matter what the law said wouldn't you? I would end up having to pay you because that is the way things go but in this case a law is protecting you from making up for 'your' mistake"I hear what you are saying," she said."Can I appeal?""You can."I AM.