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Centrelink

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Not to be confused with the American LGBT community centre organisation, CenterLink.
For Centrelink payments or social security in Australia, see Social security in Australia.

Centrelink

Centrelink office in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales
Agency overview
Formed1997; 27 years ago (1997)
Preceding
  • Commonwealth Services Delivery Agency
TypeProgram
JurisdictionAustralia
MottoGiving You Options
Minister responsible
Parent departmentServices Australia
Key document
Websiteservicesaustralia.gov.au/centrelink


Centrelink logo until 2012

The Centrelink Master Program, or more commonly known as Centrelink, is a Services Australia master program[2] of the Australian Government. It delivers a range of government payments and services for retirees, the unemployed, families, carers, parents, people with disabilities, Indigenous Australians, students, apprentices and people from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds, and provides services at times of major change.[3] The majority of Centrelink's services are the disbursement of social security payments.

History and operations

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Centrelink commenced initially as a government agency of the Department of Social Security under the trading name of the Commonwealth Services Delivery Agency in early 1997. Following the passage of the Commonwealth Services Delivery Agency Act 1997, the Centrelink brand name came into effect in late 1997. Offices were established nationally to manage services to people in need of social security payments.

On 1 July 2011, Centrelink, together with Medicare Australia, was integrated into the Department of Human Services as a result of the Human Services Act, 2011 (Cth), with the department retaining the brand name as part of its set of master programs.

In 2016, Concentrix, a business services company and subsidiary of U.S.-based SYNNEX Corporation, was one of the companies awarded a contract to operate call centres for Centrelink.[4]

Another company awarded a call centre operating contract by Centrelink is Stellar, a subsidiary of the Nevada-registered U.S. company Stellar LLC.[5]

Following the re-election of the Morrison Federal government in May 2019, the Department of Human Services was renamed Services Australia.

Automated debt recovery controversy

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Main article: Robodebt scheme

05-08/federal-budget-2018-winners-losers/9738982|access-date=8 May 2018|work=ABC News|date=8 May 2018|language=en-AU}}</ref> To convert the Centrelink payment amounts from Australian dollars (AUD) to Indian rupees (INR), we need to use the current exchange rate. As of **September 2024**, the approximate exchange rate is **1 AUD = 53 INR**.

Here's a breakdown of the main Centrelink payments in INR:

      1. 1. **JobSeeker Payment** (for those unemployed or looking for work)
  - **Single, no children**: Around 749.20 AUD → ₹39,500 per fortnight.
  - **Single, with a dependent child**: Around 802.50 AUD → ₹42,530 per fortnight.
  - **Partnered**: Around 686.00 AUD → ₹36,360 per fortnight (each partner).
      1. 2. **Age Pension** (for people of retirement age)
  - **Single**: Around 1,064.00 AUD → ₹56,400 per fortnight.
  - **Couple (combined)**: Around 1,604.00 AUD → ₹85,010 per fortnight.
      1. 3. **Youth Allowance** (for students or young people looking for work)
  - **Single, under 18, living at home**: Around 319.80 AUD → ₹16,950 per fortnight.
  - **Single, over 18, living away from home**: Around 562.80 AUD → ₹29,830 per fortnight.
  - **Couple, no children**: Around 521.20 AUD → ₹27,625 per fortnight each.
      1. 4. **Family Tax Benefit** (for families with children)
  - **Family Tax Benefit Part A**: Up to 223.60 AUD → ₹11,850 per fortnight per child.
  - **Family Tax Benefit Part B**: Up to 177.20 AUD → ₹9,390 per fortnight (depends on the age of the youngest child and income).
      1. 5. **Disability Support Pension** (for people with a long-term disability)
  - **Single**: Around 1,064.00 AUD → ₹56,400 per fortnight.
  - **Couple (combined)**: Around 1,604.00 AUD → ₹85,010 per fortnight.
      1. 6. **Carer Payment** (for people caring for someone with a disability or illness)
  - **Single**: Around 1,064.00 AUD → ₹56,400 per fortnight.
  - **Couple (combined)**: Around 1,604.00 AUD → ₹85,010 per fortnight.

These values are based on current exchange rates and are approximate, as exchange rates can fluctuate. The exact amount in INR may vary depending on the exchange rate at the time of conversion.

The calculations used to estimate debt are being legally challenged by Legal Aid Victoria, who say that they assume that people are working regular, full-time hours when calculating income.[6]

In September 2019, Gordon Legal announced their intention of filing a class-action suit challenging the legal foundations of the 'robo-debt' system.[7]

Scrapped

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On 29 May 2020, Stuart Robert, Minister for Government Services announced that the 'robo-debt' debt recovery scheme was to be scrapped by the Government, with 470,000 wrongly issued debts to be repaid in full. The total sum of the repayments is estimated to be A$721 million.[8] Opposition Government Services spokesperson Bill Shorten criticised the Government's lack of apology for the scheme, citing the psychological harm to many of those issued with debt recovery notices.[9]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Our Ministers".
  2. ^ "Centrelink". Services Australia.
  3. ^ "Portfolio Budget Statements 2013-14" (PDF). Department of Human Services. Commonwealth of Australia. May 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 27 October 2013. p. 3
  4. ^ Centrelink contractor Concentrix wrongly cut thousands off welfare in the UK ABC News, 6 December 2018. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
  5. ^ Australian Taxation Office contractor has history of bankruptcy and links to tax havens ABC News, 10 December 2018. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  6. ^ Henriques-Gomes, Luke (5 February 2019). "Robodebt faces landmark legal challenge over 'crude' income calculations". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
  7. ^ Murphy, Katharine (17 September 2019). "Robodebt class action: Shorten unveils 'David and Goliath' legal battle into Centrelink scheme". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
  8. ^ "Government to pay back $721m as it scraps Robodebt for Centrelink welfare recipients". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 29 May 2020. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  9. ^ "Bill Shorten says 'Robodebt' scheme was illegal". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 29 May 2020. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
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