This category table contains information about child support and family assistance and the roles of staff in Centrelink, Child Support and Medicare.
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Item |
Description |
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Role of family assistance staff at Centrelink |
Centrelink
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Assess whether customers have taken reasonable action to receive child support. This will determine eligibility to more than the base rate of Family Tax Benefit (FTB) Part A for a child
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Assess the effect of child support income for more than base rate children in working out a customer's FTB Part A rate
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Provide detailed information to customers about satisfying the Maintenance Action Test (MAT) and how the MAT and the Maintenance Income Test (MIT) can affect their FTB Part A rate
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Interview/advise customers about applying for a child support assessment, check its appropriateness, explain how to apply, and follow up issues such as evidence of parentage
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Maintain the family assistance system to allow for the transfer of information from Child Support about customers' entitlement and payments of child support
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Monitor and action system generated reviews in relation to child support. Advise customers:
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 ‘You should make an application for a child support assessment online via the Services Australia website. If this is not an option, I can transfer you now to Child Support who can start the assessment process’
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‘When you apply for a child support assessment, you decide whether you want to privately collect the child support or if you want Child Support to collect the child support on your behalf’
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‘You are always advantaged by receiving child support as soon as possible, as only a proportion of the child support you receive will affect your Family Assistance’
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‘You have 13 weeks from the date of event to apply for a child support assessment or request an exemption before your Family Tax Benefit rate will be effected. If an application is accepted by Child Support, an assessment can only be made from the date that the application is lodged’
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Maintain a system that allows deductions to be started and ceased from income support instalments to pay the minimum child support liability per instructions transmitted by Child Support
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Role of youth payment staff at Centrelink |
Centrelink youth payment staff
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Role of family assistance staff at Medicare sites |
Medicare
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Accept forms from designated customers after checking they are complete and process the forms
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Transfer forms from non-designated customers to the nearest Service Centre
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Provide general information to customers about eligibility for child support, applying for child support, their child support income and how it affects their Family Tax Benefit (FTB) Part A rate
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Refer customers to Child Support for expert assistance with child support
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Refer non-designated customers to Centrelink
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Refer designated customers to a Centrelink Social Worker to seek an exemption from seeking child support
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Role of Child Support |
Child Support
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Assess applications for child support
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Calculate the amount of child support payable using the formula set out in legislation
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Issue child support assessment notices to both parties (whether the liability is to be collected by Child Support or through a private arrangement between the parties)
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Send weekly system data about customers' child support entitlements
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Advise the Child Support Units if child support applications are rejected
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Advise of child support payments collected
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Determine and review periods of non-enforcement of court orders for payers under low income/change of custody provisions
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Collect child support for resident parents under court orders, assessments or registered agreements
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Advise customers about collection of their child support
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Follow up non-payment of child support
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Transmit information to Centrelink to request and cease deductions from income support payments to pay the minimum child support liability
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Liaise with countries that have a reciprocal agreement with Australia to enforce a Child Support assessment, court order or agreement
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Register child support agreements for customers and advise customers of decisions about agreements
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Complaints resolution |
Complaints from customers
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Complaints about decisions made by Services Australia are subject to the review and appeals process
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For complaints about Child Support:
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If the customer wants to stop Child Support collection but continue an assessment for a child they can contact Child Support directly, either online or by phone to speak to the client service officer or their manager. Refer the customer to Complaints, see Level 2 Complaints for contact details
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If the customer is not satisfied, they may then call the Agency Complaints Service
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The customer may then contact the Ombudsman if they are still not satisfied
Complaints from the Ombudsman
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Complaints about administration or service delivery will be handled by Centrelink
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Complaints about policy will be handled by Child Support
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Where relevant, the other Agency will be consulted
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Where complaints cover both policy and administration, Child Support and Centrelink will liaise and provide each other with copies of responses
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Child Support will be responsible for providing instructions to legal representatives if any, and for any costs involved in any internal or external merits review or proceedings of any kind in courts arising from the exercise of their responsibility
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Centrelink will be responsible for providing instructions to legal representatives if any, and for any costs involved in any internal or external merits review or proceedings of any kind in courts arising from the exercise of their responsibility
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Centrelink and Child Support will liaise as necessary when they become aware of legal or review proceedings which may have policy or financial implications for the respective programs
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