Centrelink annual report 1999 – 2000 Contact officer
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- Youth Pathways Action Plan Taskforce
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Other AchievementsCentrelink’s business priorities in 1999–2000 were to continue to consolidate its business relationships with existing clients and pursue strategic business opportunities to strengthen the Centrelink image within the community. Implementation of Tax ReformAs a component of the Government’s tax reform agenda, Centrelink became a partner agency with the ATO and the HIC in a unique arrangement to establish the Family Assistance Office (FAO). FAO will provide assistance, information and payments to more than 2 million families. From 1 July 2000, FAO will be located in all Centrelink Customer Service Centres, Medicare Offices and ATO sites. Families will be able to access an integrated range of family assistance payments and services from over 550 sites across Australia. Centrelink computer systems will process all new FAO payments for all customers. Family payments and services will be simpler. Twelve complex payments for families with children will be replaced with three new payments. The new payments are Family Tax Benefit Part A, Family Tax Benefit Part B and Child Care Benefit. Centrelink also responded to changes supporting the New Tax System as part of the Government’s reform initiative. Work was undertaken to prepare for the major tasks of delivering savings bonuses for older Australians and self-funded retirees, the Goods and Service Tax (GST) Assistance Scheme, Family Adjustment Payment, increases in payments for all Centrelink customers, and changes to a number of other payment rules, from 1 July 2000. The savings bonuses will provide one-off tax-free payments to eligible Australians from 1 July 2000. Around 1.5 million claim forms were issued to Centrelink’s customers, to ensure people who have income from savings and investments are adequately compensated for the loss of purchasing power following the introduction of the GST. As well as assessing claims from its own customers, Centrelink will receive and process assessments done by the ATO and DVA for their customers. A GST Assistance Scheme, for those not compensated through either the taxation or income security systems, will be administered by Centrelink. All payments made by Centrelink will be increased, income and assets thresholds will rise and, for pensioners, the withdrawal rate under the income test will reduce. Welfare Reform AgendaCentrelink provided a submission to the Reference Group on Welfare Reform containing around 300 individual comments and suggestions from Centrelink’s service delivery network. Centrelink’s one-to-one service delivery model and ‘life events’ approach were considered as part of the recommendations contained in the Reference Group’s interim report released in March 2000. The report and Centrelink’s submission (number 241) can be viewed at the FaCS Internet web site at www.facs.gov.au under Welfare Reform. Centrelink will perform a key gateway role for the implementation of the new government agenda. Family Law PathwaysCentrelink is represented on the Family Law Pathways Advisory Group convened by FaCS. The group’s terms of reference are to provide advice to Government on how to achieve a family law system that provides effective support for families, coordinates customer-focused information and services, and provides pathways that are effective and appropriate. The establishment of this high-level group forms part of the Stronger Families and Communities Strategy, which has a key component that focuses on outcomes to strengthen marriage and relationships. Centrelink has also provided a full-time staff member to work for the secretariat of this committee. Youth Pathways Action Plan TaskforceCentrelink is involved in the taskforce’s interdepartmental committee, which supports the taskforce in setting a five-year framework for programdelivery to youth. The framework will focus on the areas of homelessness, family breakdown, employment, education and training, suicide prevention, early intervention and community-based initiatives. The taskforce is made up of government and nongovernment representatives and is chaired by Captain David Eldridge of the Salvation Army. The interdepartmental committee includes representatives from FaCS, DETYA, the Attorney General’s Department, DEWRSB, Health, Prime Minister and Cabinet, DoTRS and Centrelink. Centrelink provided a submission to the taskforce and extensive feedback on the first draft of the report. The taskforce is expected to finalise the report in September 2000 to report back to the Government. Social Work ServicesIn line with their internal training and support role, Centrelink’s Social Workers are increasingly being asked to provide training for customer contact staff in other human service organisations. In 1999–2000, Centrelink Social Workers provided interpersonal skills training for staff working in the electorate offices of Members of Parliament throughout Australia and for Emergency Relief providers in four pilot sites across Australia. This training focused on improving the communication and referral skills required when working with people with complex difficulties. Carer AllowanceAn important initiative of the 1998–99 Budget was the introduction of the new Carer Allowance which incorporated the former Child Disability Allowance and Domiciliary Nursing Care Benefit. The implementation of this initiative involved the transfer of 50 000 customers from Health into the Centrelink network. The Centrelink Carers’ Team was awarded an Australia Day Award for their innovative approach and exceptional customer service during the implementation of this project (sees also Chapter 9, Corporate Overview, page 120 for details of other awards). Joint Operations GroupsA series of Joint Operations Group meetings have been convened between Centrelink and client agencies. The meetings have proved to be an excellent forum to work through operational and technical issues in a collaborative manner. Significant progress has been made on a number of highly complex matters as a result of recent forums. Centrelink will continue to use this forum to aid understanding and improve outcomes for our customers. New BusinessDepartment of Foreign Affairs and TradeCentrelink has recently won a three-year tender with DFaT to operate the new Passport Information Service from the International Call Centre in Hobart. The scheduled opening date for this service is early July 2000. Rural Transaction CentresCentrelink is supporting DoTRS in increasing government services to remote and regional Australia with the establishment of Rural Transaction Centres (see Chapter 5 Our Customers and Community, page 51). Centrelink International ServicesDuring the year Centrelink centralised a range of processing activities in its Centrelink International Services unit, located in Hobart, to take advantage of specialist knowledge and skills. This unit now has prime responsibility for the payment of foreign pensions under the Social Security Agreements that Australia has with other countries. International Services also manages portability of Australian pensions, reimbursement by the New Zealand Government of pensions paid by Australia to ex-New Zealanders now living in Australia, claims for foreign pensions lodged in Australia and other issues that cross international boundaries. 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