Rural services
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About the services
Centrelink has a strong focus on improving the quality of service delivery to customers, particularly to people living in rural and regional Australia.
Centrelink has actively sought the views of community, private organisations, government agencies and customers regarding services to rural and regional Australia. As a result, Centrelink is implementing a rural strategy that focuses on addressing the service delivery needs of customers who do not have a Centrelink Customer Service Centre nearby.
Centrelink has continued to expand its rural network and established many new and enhanced servicing arrangements, including Rural Services Officers (RSOs), Australian Government mobile offices, additional Centrelink Agents & Access Points, visiting services, strengthened partnership arrangements with State/Territory Governments and maintenance of 2 dedicated Rural Call Centres.
Centrelink Agents & Access Points
Centrelink has a large network of Agents & Access Points who are contracted to provide a variety of services on Centrelink's behalf.
Partnerships with State/Territory Governments
Centrelink has established partnerships in rural Australia with several State/Territory Governments including Tasmania where we operate agent services out of more than a dozen Service Tasmania sites, a number of New South Wales Government Access Centres, some Queensland Government Agent Program locations and also the Local Governments of Northern Territory. In addition we have a very strong presence in upwards of 50 West Australian Government Telecentres from which access point services are primarily delivered.
Rural Call Centres
Customers in rural Queensland and South Australia enjoy access to a tailored telephone service provided by two specialist Rural Call Centres. Staff employed in these Rural Call Centres (Maryborough, QLD and Port Augusta, SA) primarily come from the local region so have a greater knowledge of and empathy for the needs of rural customers.
The Rural Call Centres aim to provide services to customers over the phone that overcome the effects of distance, isolation and other disadvantages faced by rural people otherwise having to use urban-based call centre facilities.
They also improve rural customer satisfaction with service provision, and importantly, locate services and deliver jobs in regional Australia. Rural customers in the dedicated catchment areas still call their normal Centrelink 13 number, but their calls are answered by specialist trained staff in the Rural Call Centres.
Customers who contact the Drought Assistance hotline on 13 2316 will also have their calls answered by specialist Rural Call Centre staff.
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Australian Government Mobile offices
Centrelink currently has two Australian Government mobile services that are fully operational offices that travel to and service rural and remote communities.
Experienced specialist staff travel with the Mobile Office and provide friendly, face-to-face service, information and support. Staff can assist you with Centrelink, Medicare, Australian Hearing and Child Support Agency payment and service options. They are specialists in rural servicing and live and work in the communities they serve.
View Australian Government Mobile offices to find out more.
Specialist assistance line
- Centrelink Drought Assistance hotline - 13 2316
More information
For more information you can:
- telephone your nearest Rural Call Centre via your normal Centrelink 13 number
- visit your nearest Centrelink Customer Service Centre
- refer to the Self-employed or farmer section
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