Originally Posted by bdld

contact them and set up a payment plan, no interest no penalties. that is, if it was their fault not to send the bills.

Originally Posted by Sly

I would contact them and tell them you simply don't have the money but want to work out a payment plan. If they say no, I would go up the chain and also contact someone from your city Council or a local state representative of some sort (not sure what you have in Australia). If they did it to you, the odds are there are others.