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General debt management information 107-02000000

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This document outlines the aspects of the identification and investigation of debts.

Debt management

Debt management is an important part of Services Australia’s core business. This is central to achieving customer service, partner agency and efficiency goals.

It is important the agency services customer accounts:

  • quickly
  • accurately, and
  • in a sensitive manner

Business Partnership Agreement

The Department of Social Services (DSS) and Services Australia have a Business Partnership Agreement. It contains a framework for:

  • maximising correct payments, and
  • identifying and investigating debts

This framework has 3 key strategies:

  • Prevention, having systems and procedures in place to minimise the risk of incorrect payments. That is, the Debt Management and Information System (DMIS)
  • Detection, having processes to quickly detect and fix incorrect payments
  • Deterrence, promoting voluntary compliance through public recognition of the risks and penalties of attempting to defraud the agency. This includes the likelihood of detection, recovery of debts and possible prosecution

The References page contains links to Accountable Authority instructions (AAI).

Contents

Debt raising support for customers

Debt Manual Follow ups (MFU)

General debt information

Debt identification

Debt investigation

Overview of the Debt Management and Information System (DMIS)

Debt tools

Interest charge and recovery fee

Workload Management (WLM) updates for Payment Assurance Operations Division - Compliance and Debt staff

Safeguarding customer privacy when raising and recovering debts

Calculating Centrelink entitlements and gathering information when investigating debts

Debts raising

Debt recovery for Centrelink

Debts arising from Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) stay orders