About Us

About Centrelink

Centrelink is an Australian Government statutory agency, delivering a range of Commonwealth services to the Australian community.

Centrelink is responsible to The Hon Chris Bowen MP, Minister for Financial Services, Superannuation and Corporate Law, and Minister for Human Services. Centrelink is part of the Human Services portfolio. Centrelink's Chief Executive Officer is Ms Carolyn Hogg.

Our purpose

Serving Australia by assisting people to become self-sufficient and supporting those in need.

Our history

Centrelink was formally launched on 24 September 1997 by the Prime Minister of Australia, John Howard. The organisation was established as a result of the restructuring of the Department of Social Security (DSS), the Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs (DETYA), Student Assistance Centres and the Commonwealth Employment Service (CES).

In establishing Centrelink, the Australian Government sought to link Commonwealth government services wherever possible, thus providing a one-stop-shop to the Australian community.

A media release from 1997 concerning the launch is available in the media section.

Strategic directions

• Strategic directions - set out our reason for being, what we want to achieve and how we want to be seen.
• Strategic priorities - our strategic imperatives for 2008 to 2009.
• eBusiness strategy - our corporate framework for ensuring Centrelink makes the most of eBusiness opportunities to meet Centrelink's goals.

Structure

• Governance - the way we shape, enable, oversee and evaluate ourselves and our business.
• Senior Executive Structure - our senior executive organisation chart.

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Reports and statements

• Customer service - a list of the ways we are making our customer service even better.
• Centrelink's environmental performance report - this report demonstrates Centrelink's ongoing commitment to environmental management, as well as providing insight into some of the environmental objectives that we have achieved.
• Environmental policy statement - our commitment to the environment and the sustainable use of the Earth's resources.
• Centrelink legal services expenditure - this is a statement of legal services expenditure published in accordance with paragraph 11.1(ba) of the Legal Services Directions 2005.

Centrelink and the Australian Government

• Department of Human Services - how the Department of Human Services is improving service delivery for people needing assistance.
• Policy departments - we deliver payments and services on behalf of 9 government policy departments.

Facts and figures

• Corporate publications - see our range of publications about our organisation.
• Facts and figures - some interesting info about us.
• Fraud - information about Centrelink fraud and how to report a suspected fraud.
• Research - lots of links for people and students researching Centrelink.
• Excellence in e-Government - information about our selection as a Finalist for the Excellence in e-Government Award 2006.

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