Customer requests access to their personal information 104-01010010

Clarify with the customer exactly what information or document they require.

This will help to identify whether:

• the information/documents can be provided at point of contact or shortly thereafter, where the secrecy provisions and/or Privacy Act allow, and
• the information/documents are not otherwise sensitive (see administrative release)
• an FOI request is required

• Yes, go to Step 5
• No, go to Step 3

• Yes, go to Step 4
• No, see Table 2 > Step 7

A representative with express or implied authority can act for a customer in matters that are limited to certain enquiries and actions. A representative with express or implied authority can request access to customer information under administrative release.

Customers registered for services online can access a range of their own information.

• Yes, go to Step 6
• No, see Table 2 > Step 1

Customers, their authorised third parties or nominees can access the following Centrelink reports via the Customer Information Release service and Release my Information service:

• Centrelink payment details
• Australian employment income details
• Medical certificate information
• Job Capacity Assessment (JCA) reports
• Employment Services Assessment (ESAt) reports

A customer has access to a variety of information via their online account. If they do not have an account, encourage the customer to do so and action the set up.

• advise the customer how they can access the information via the Services Australia website, and document the record
• if there is other information the customer is seeking that is not available via their online account, see Table 2 > Step 1

Is the customer seeking Medicare or PBS claims information?

• Yes, go to Step 2
• No, go to Step 3

The customer can lodge a Request for Medicare and/or Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme claims information for individuals and families or authorise release to a third party. See the Resources page for a link to the form.

If lodged, forward to Information Release team per address on the form.

Procedure ends here.

Is the customer seeking access to their UNSSPOC/SA479, JCA or DMA?

• Yes, see Release of Disability Support Pension (DSP) Medical Assessment reports
• No, go to Step 4

Does the customer want access to their TFN?

• Yes:
• and the customer does reside in a remote community:
  - a discretionary exception may apply to the release of a TFN to a remote Centrelink customer
  - TFNs must not be released to a third party
  - Release of the customer’s own TFN to them is permitted in the following circumstances:
  - with the express authorisation of the customer, and
  - where the customer has satisfied proof of identity and proof of record ownership (PoRO). See Authenticating a Centrelink customer
• and the customer does not currently reside in a remote community. Do not release the TFN, advise the customer to contact the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) Individual enquiries line
• No, go to Step 5

Can the documents be provided to the customer through administrative access arrangements administrative release?

• Yes, go to Step 6
• No, go to Step 8

If information or a copy of the document can be provided to the customer at point of contact, by post or fax:

• Record details of the request
• Child Support staff must have clearance from an APS 6 or above before releasing documents informally (see exception in administrative release). This is to be documented on the case
• Provide printout/copy to customer if document is available at time of contact. Smart centre staff to send out requested documents with a covering letter. See 'Staff Contact details in documents' in administrative release)
• Arrange to send out documents with a covering letter if documents are not available at time of contact or need to be mailed to the customer (for example if they need to be retrieved from another location or from file or batch storage). For more details, see:
• Archiving and Culling Engine (ACE)
• Archiving and document retrieval for Medicare
• Using the Customer Archive Retrieval (CAR) system and microfiche requests for archived information

Create a free text Q999 or Q888 covering letter to the customer available from the Online Advice suite (OLA).

The Resources page contains example wording for use in the covering letter to the customer when releasing information through administrative release.

Accessing and releasing call recordings:

Requests by a caller for a copy of their call recording can be taken at the point of contact. The release will be managed by the National New Customers and Mainstream (NCMS) Call Recording Team for Child Support requests, and the relevant business area for Centrelink and Medicare requests.

• See Call and screen recording - information and access

Note:

Child Support

• NICE system - calls recorded from 16 June 2007 to 31 October 2013
• Verint commenced recording calls from 1 November 2013

Centrelink

• Call recording commenced in major Centrelink smart centres 21 August 2017
• Other areas commenced recording after this date, with some areas yet to commence recording calls

Medicare

• Calls recorded in Medicare Public from 4 December 2017. Call recording commenced for Medicare Public and Compensation Recovery sites from 4 December 2017

Other areas commenced recording after this date, with some areas yet to commence recording calls.

Documents/information should be released at point of contact or as soon as practicable and within 30 days.

The customer should be kept informed of the likely release date and any delays that may occur in the retrieval of documents.

Call recording delays - For call recordings, the call recording project team will provide advice of any delays to the team leader of the service officer who requested the call so that the caller can be contacted.

Procedure ends here.

Customer requesting access

Advise the customer that a request must be made in writing (return the form by using Centrelink online account, email, post or in person) via:

• the 'Freedom of Information - Request access or change documents (Si031)' form, see the Resources page for a link to the form. or
• a statement or letter that:
• states the request is made under the FOI Act
• provides information to identify the documents being requested
• provides an address for reply

If a customer is seeking access to documents that contain personal information, they need to provide proof of identity before this is released. Completing the identity questions on the Si031 form helps with this request.

Third party requesting access

A third party can lodge an FOI request to access the documents of another person. The FOI applicant will need to provide specific, written authority from the person whose documents are being requested.

An FOI request must be accepted if customer authority is not provided. In this case the issue of consent will be considered as part of the FOI process.

Requests can be uploaded using Centrelink online account.

Select Upload documents service and Centrelink form Si031.

Requests can be emailed to the FOI team.

Requests can be posted to:

Services Australia

PO Box 7820

Canberra BC ACT 2610.

FOI request lodged at a service centre

Centrelink

Scan request.

Child Support

Scan request and email to FOI team.

See Correspondence received in Child Support.

Medicare

Scan request and refer to FOI team via email.