Centrelink's Customer Service Charter

This service charter tells you the standard of service you can expect from Centrelink and what to do if you are unhappy with the service you received. It also tells you about your responsibilities as a Centrelink customer.

It was developed with input from customers, policy departments, community representatives and Centrelink staff.

Our service charter tells you:

• Performance against Customer Service Charter commitments in the 2009–10 financial year
• Customer Service Charter
• About Centrelink
• CEO statement
• What you can expect from us
• How we will know whether we have met our commitments to you
• How you can help us
• Your responsibilities
• What to do if you think a decision is wrong
• How you can tell us what you think of our services
• The Commonwealth Ombudsman
• Your privacy
• You can see documents we hold about you
• Statement of Commitment to Listening and Responding to Customer Feedback
• How to contact us
• Centrelink publications
• More information

Performance against Customer Service Charter commitments in the 2009–10 financial year

• Customer Service Charter Performance - April 2010 to June 2010
• Customer Service Charter Performance - January 2010 to March 2010
• Customer Service Charter Performance - October 2009 to December 2009
• Customer Service Charter Performance - July 2009 to September 2009

Customer Service Charter

• Centrelink's Customer Service Charter [Brochure, 24 pages, PDF: 787KB]
• Centrelink's Customer Service Charter [Brochure, 8 pages, RTF: 98KB]

Translated versions:

• Multilingual versions of Centrelink's Customer Service Charter are located in the We speak your language section of the website.

You can also:

• pick up a copy of a short Centrelink Service Charter brochure from any Centrelink Customer Service Centre
• have a copy sent to you by calling any of the Centrelink "13" numbers located on the Telephone us page.

Customer Service Charter feedback

We want to know what you think about our service charter so that we can improve it in the future. Send us your comments by email to customer.charter@centrelink.gov.au or by using our secure messaging services to Message us.

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About Centrelink

Centrelink is an Australian Government agency within the Human Services portfolio. We deliver payments and services for a number of Government departments.

Our purpose is to assist people to become more self-sufficient and improve the opportunities of people who are of working age to find a job, while supporting those in need. We also support those who require special assistance during different life stages such as planning for retirement, experiencing illness or a crisis.

We have over 300 Customer Service Centres Australia-wide and more than 20 Call Centres. We also have over 500 agents and access points in rural and remote Australia with free phone and fax available for Centrelink business. You can access our online services from any computer with internet access, Centrelink office or Centrelink agent.

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CEO statement

We know you value good customer service. Our aim is to give you access to easy, high-quality services that work for you. This Service Charter tells you what you can expect from us, what you need to know about your responsibilities and how to let us know if we are doing well or could do better. It also tells you about how we keep an eye on ourselves by measuring whether we are meeting our commitments to you.

Carolyn Hogg
Chief Executive Officer

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What you can expect from us

You can expect us to make it easy for you to use our services.

We will do this by:

• making it as convenient as possible for you to contact us or do business with us in person, over the phone or through agents and access points in rural and remote Australia
• making information available online that will satisfy your need for general enquiries and increasing access to Centrelink services on the internet
• providing offices where you can feel safe and your personal privacy is assured
• providing interpreter or teletypewriter (TTY) services if you need them.

If you need an interpreter or a translation service for any documents you need to support a Centrelink claim we will provide one at no cost to you. Confidentiality provisions and a Code of Ethics cover Centrelink interpreters and translators which means you can be sure that your information remains private.

If you are deaf or have a hearing or speech impairment, you can contact Centrelink using the free TTY service. A TTY service is also available if you wish to contact the Customer Relations line to provide comments, feedback, complaints or compliments.

Some Centrelink Customer Service Centres and Call Centres have Indigenous staff who speak Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander languages. If you need assistance from these staff please ask us.

This is how you can judge whether we have made it easy for you to use our services.

• We will answer 70% of your phone calls within 2½ minutes (you may have to wait longer during our busiest times).
• We will reduce the time that you wait in a queue when you come in to a Centrelink office.
• If we can't answer your question immediately, we will get back to you within an agreed time.

You can expect us to treat you with respect and courtesy.

We will do this by:

• being friendly, courteous, fair and impartial in our dealings with you
• treating you with dignity and respect
• behaving with honesty and integrity
• identifying ourselves when we talk to you
• having trained and professional staff who will uphold the Australian Public Service Code of Conduct.

This is how you can judge whether we have treated you with respect and courtesy.

• We will always behave towards you in a way which upholds the Australian Public Service Code of Conduct and the principles of the Charter of Public Service in a Culturally Diverse Society.

You can expect us to explain your options to you.

This means we will:

• explain the Centrelink services and payments that are available to you and that meet your personal circumstances
• give you complete information that is accurate, consistent and easy to understand
• explain what you need to know and what you need to do
• do all your Centrelink business when you contact us
• correct any mistake openly, honestly and quickly
• respond courteously and promptly to any complaint you have about our service.

This is how you can judge whether we have explained your options to you.

• At all times we will work with you to match Centrelink services and resources to your individual circumstances.
• We will work with you to resolve any complaint as early as possible but we may take up to 5 working days to answer more complicated complaints.

You can expect us to respect your rights.

This means we will respect your right to:

• seek a review of, or to appeal social security decisions we make
• see the information we hold about you in accordance with the law
• have your personal information protected and not disclosed to anyone else without your consent or unless the law requires us to disclose it.

This is how you can judge whether we have respected your rights.

• We will clearly explain our decisions to you and tell you about your rights and responsibilities and what you need to do.
• When you ask Centrelink to review a decision we have made, the review will usually be completed within 28 days.

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How we will know whether we have met our commitments to you

We will be asking you through regular surveys, listening to your feedback and talking to community organisations and other government agencies and departments to monitor how well we are doing. The results will be used to regularly update and improve the way we deliver services to you and will be published in the Centrelink Annual Report.

We want to hear from you if you feel we haven't met our commitments to you.

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How you can help us

We can provide a better service if you:

• treat our staff with courtesy and respect
• have your Customer Reference Number (CRN) handy if you are already a customer (this appears on letters we send you)
• call us first if you have any questions - this may save you time. Our website or Online Services may also have the information you need (for example, confirmation that your Centrelink payment is in your bank account). Remember in order to protect your privacy and security when using our self service facilities, never tell anyone else your PIN
• have all the requested information, documents and completed forms when you apply for any payment. Call us if you are unsure what you need to provide
• tell us as soon as possible if you have made a mistake, or you think we have made a mistake
• let us know if you will be late or are unable to keep an appointment you have with us. You can either call the number shown on your letter if you have one, or call the "13" number most relevant to your situation. For a list of Centrelink's "13" numbers, view the Telephone us page.

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Your responsibilities

To continue to receive correct services and payments from us, you are expected to:

• Tell us if your circumstances have changed or are about to change

  If you have changes in your circumstances like finding a job, changing living arrangements or address, or starting or stopping study, you need to tell us. If you don't tell us about changes in your circumstances, you may receive payments you are not entitled to receive.

• Meet any other necessary conditions for the services or payments you are receiving

  You may need to meet certain conditions, for example, look for work, study or meet appointments that are arranged for you, to receive payments from Centrelink. If you are unsure about the conditions for receiving your payment, please ask us.

• Read, or have read to you, all the information we send or give to you

  Contact us if you don't understand the information. Tell us if you want to give someone else permission to do this on your behalf.

• Reply to our requests on time

  If we ask you to provide us with information within a certain amount of time, it is important that you do so. If you don't, your payment may be affected. If you are having trouble getting the information, please let us know.

If you are unsure about any of your responsibilities, please ask us.

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What to do if you think a decision is wrong

Our decisions about your entitlement to a payment or service are made under the law. You don't have to but if you wish, you can talk to the person who made the decision. Many people find this a useful first step. If you think a decision we have made is wrong, you have the right to:

• ask for the decision to be looked at by an independent senior officer (called an Authorised Review Officer)
• appeal to the Social Security Appeals Tribunal or call 1800 011 140, or TTY 1800 060 116 if you disagree with the Authorised Review Officer's decision
• visit the Administrative Appeals Tribunal website or call 1300 366 700, or TTY 1800 650 662 if you disagree with the Social Security Appeals Tribunal's decision.

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How you can tell us what you think of our services

We value your opinion and want to hear what you think about the quality of our service. We want to know about the things you like about us and if you have any suggestions about how and where we could do better.

We also want to hear from you if you have a complaint, as your experience can help us to improve our service to you and to others. To tell us anything about our service, you can:

• call our Customer Relations line on Freecall™1800 050 004 between 8 am and 5 pm Monday to Friday
• call the teletypewriter (TTY) service on Freecall™1800 000 567 between 8 am and 5 pm Monday to Friday if you have a hearing or speech impairment (a TTY phone is required to use this service)
• use the Message us option in the Contact us section to send us an email
• refer to the Tell us what you think customer comment card, or ask for it at any Centrelink office, and fill it in
• talk with a Centrelink staff member at any of our offices
• write to us at:
  The Manager
  Centrelink Customer Relations
  Reply Paid 7788
  Canberra BC, ACT 2610.

You don't have to tell us your name if you don't want to, but it will help us keep you informed about the progress of your complaint. Your privacy will always be respected.

Centrelink will not discriminate against you if you make a complaint. If you think you have been discriminated against or disadvantaged because of a complaint you have made, please write to:

The Manager
Centrelink Customer Relations
Reply Paid 7788
Canberra BC, ACT 2610

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The Commonwealth Ombudsman

You can contact the Commonwealth Ombudsman if you think we haven't provided you with an adequate service or if you think your complaint was not handled satisfactorily. The Ombudsman is independent of Centrelink.

More information about the Ombudsman is available from the Commonwealth Ombudsman website or you can call 1300 362 072.

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Your privacy

Your personal information is protected by law. We cannot look at, use or disclose any personal information we have about you unless it is allowed under the Privacy Act 1988 and the confidentiality provisions in the laws Centrelink administers. If you are concerned about how your personal information is being handled, please call the Centrelink Privacy Officer in your area on Freecall™1800 050 004 or TTY Freecall™1800 810 586. You can also read the Your right to privacy factsheet, or ask for a copy at any Centrelink office.

You can contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner if you are still unhappy or if you want to talk to someone other than Centrelink. You can find more information about the Office of the Privacy Commissioner on their website or by calling 1300 363 992 or TTY 1800 620 241.

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You can see documents we hold about you

We have Freedom of Information Contact Officers in Centrelink offices who can tell you about your right to see your own documents if you currently get or previously received a Centrelink payment. You do not have to pay for this service unless you have already been shown the same documents in the last 3 months.

You also have the right to ask to have a document changed or corrected if your personal information is incomplete, incorrect, out of date or misleading.

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Statement of Commitment to Listening and Responding to Customer Feedback

The Statement of Commitment to Listening and Responding to Customer Feedback supports and expands upon commitments we have made in our Customer Service Charter. It sets out the systems, processes and principles that Centrelink works with to handle customer feedback including compliments, complaints and suggestions.

How to contact us

You can contact Centrelink in several ways. For more information view the Contact us section.

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Centrelink publications

You can view other publications from the Publications section of this website or you can:

• ask for a copy at your nearest Centrelink Customer Service Centre
• or refer to the Telephone us page and call the "13" number most relevant to your situation and ask for a copy to be sent to you.

Translated versions of the Customer Service Charter and a range of products in languages other than English can also be found in the We speak your language section of this website.

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More information

The information contained in this publication is intended as a guide only.

Please contact Centrelink if you would like additional information about the Customer Service Charter.

This document was first published in August 2006 and last updated in April 2010.