Social security , in Australia, refers to the social welfare payment system provided by the Commonwealth of Australia. This payment is administered by Centrelink, a branch of the Human Services Department. In Australia, most of the benefits are tested.
Video Social security in Australia
Histori
Prior to 1900 in Australia, charity assistance from kind-hearted people, sometimes with financial contributions from the authorities, was the primary means of assistance for people unable to support themselves. The economic depression of the 1890s and the rise of Labor and Labor unions during this period led to a movement for welfare reform.
In 1900, the states of New South Wales and Victoria enacted laws that introduced non-contributory pensions for those aged 65 and older. Queensland established a similar system law in 1907 before the Australian Commonwealth government led by Andrew Fisher introduced a national age pension under the Anonymous and Aged Old Pension Act 1908. The pension of unofficial national disabilities began in 1910 , and a national birth allowance was introduced in 1912.
During the Second World War, Australia under workers' rule created the welfare state by imposing a national scheme for: the gift of children in 1941 (replacing the New South Wales scheme of 1927); widow pension in 1942 (replacing the scheme of New South Wales 1926); wife allowance in 1943; additional allowances for children of pensioners in 1943; and unemployment, disease, and special benefits in 1945 (replacing the 1923 Queensland scheme).
The Social Justice Amendment Amendment Amendment Act 2017 has changed some aspects of social security in Australia, and has been approved until April 11, 2018. This includes a point-demerit system because it does not meet its welfare obligations.
Maps Social security in Australia
Contemporary welfare attitudes
Current attitudes towards wellbeing in Australia can be separated into support for welfare systems and support for welfare recipients. Multivariate analysis using canonical correlation analysis identified five different profiles of welfare attitudes and socio-demographic characteristics. The main attitude cluster is one against support for welfare systems and welfare recipients. Having received the welfare of the government in the past is very predictable someone who supports the welfare system and its beneficiaries. The next most prominent profile of attitudes is summarized as a 'good welfare system but the people on it are lazy and dependent'. This attitude profile is found among people who receive normative welfare payments (eg age pensions) or where there is little hope that someone will return to work (eg, disability support pensions). Overall, Australians have more negative attitudes toward welfare recipients than those who do welfare systems. People with a history of receiving unemployment benefits tend to have more negative welfare attitudes if they live in areas where other community members have more negative attitudes.
Legal framework
Social security payments and other benefits are currently available under the following parliamentary actions:
- Social Security Act 1991
- New Tax System Act (Family Assistance) 1999
- Student Assistance Act 1973
- Parental Leave Act 2010 payments
Payments under Social Security Act and Student Help Act
- ABSTUDY - offers a variety of benefits to help Native and New Apprentice students.
- Pension Age - for people who are planning to retire or who have retired 65 or older.
- Help for Remote Children - for families with children who can not attend school locally due to distance or special needs.
- Austudy Payment - for full-time students and New Apprentices aged 25 or over.
- Caregiver Benefits - for people caring for children under 16-17 years old and adults over 18 with disabilities.
- Carer Benefit (Child) - for a person who takes care of a child under 16 with a disability.
- Payee Payments - for people who provide full-time care for someone with disabilities
- Disability Retirement Support - for people who can not work for 2 years due to illness, injury, or disability.
- Double Orphans Retirement - for those who raise children who lost both parents.
- Payment of Childbirth - for assistance at an additional cost after the birth of a new baby.
- Newstart allowance - for people looking for work.
- Parent Payments - for parents or guardians to help with the cost of raising children under 6 years old for partner parents and under 8 for single parents.
- Added Retirement Education - for retired people with tuition fees.
- Special Benefits - for people who have financial difficulties, have no way to support themselves and are not eligible for other payments (usually due to residence requirements)
- Youth Allowance - for full-time students or New Apprentices aged 15 (under certain circumstances) from 16 to 24 and persons under 21 who do a job search or a combination of approved activities.
Income support
All Centrelink revenue support payments are paid every two weeks, usually with the necessary direct deposit to the beneficiary's bank account. They are also subject to a facility test that calculates the revenue and assets of the recipients (and their partners) every two weeks and affects their corresponding payment rates. Thus, low-income persons may be entitled to pay part of their benefits (subject to other qualification requirements). Assessment of income and assets varies greatly between different social security payments and the effect that income and assets on each payment differ because they have different income thresholds (ie how much income a person can earn before affecting their payments) and different taper rates payments decrease per dollar above this threshold).
A person may be prohibited from claiming any income support payments listed below for a specified number of weeks after receiving compensation payments in whole or in part in respect of loss of income or loss of capacity to obtain the consequences of personal injury (often accepted in the settlement of a Workers' Compensation claim 'The number of weeks in which the preclusion period applies to an individual is proportional to the size of the payment they receive at the time Centrelink has the discretion to reduce the duration of the forecast period if it is certain that there are special circumstances that make a person's case unusual: for example, extreme financial difficulties.
Age group Age Pension
Retirement Age is the first payment made by the Commonwealth Government, since 1909. It is available for people aged 65 and older. The feasibility age is currently increasing progressively to the limit of 67 years. Except for mandatory superannuation schemes, workers do not contribute to pension or insurance schemes in Australia, unlike pension schemes in many other countries. Pensions funded by the Tax Payer are the means tested.
Newstart Allowance
Newstart Allowance is an unemployment benefit paid to an unemployed person aged 22 to 64 years. To be eligible, a person must apply to benefit and actively seek employment. On July 1, 1991, he replaced Unemployment Benefits (UB) that has not changed since 1945. It is part of a government reform called Newstart - Active Employment Strategy.
This is paid under 'mutual agreement' between the customer and Centrelink, where Centrelink will continue to pay a two-week payment to the customer as long as the customer seeks to find a job and fulfills a shared liability. This collective agreement is negotiated between Centrelink, their job seeker and their Australian Employment Service provider or provider of the Disability Employment Service, and recorded into the Employment Plan or "EPP". Activities that may be approved by the job seeker, to continue to receive Newstart Benefits, including applying for a certain amount of work (usually ten) per two weeks and record this application in Centrelink diaries issued, undertaking vocational education or training, paid work experience, participation in the labor market program or the Work for the Dole project, and other activities, such as voluntary work if considered appropriate by Centrelink. For example, more elderly customers who have been made redundant and approaching retirement age, and who may face great difficulties entering the labor market, are often allowed to fulfill their plans by engaging in voluntary activities only. A job seeker should nominate and engage in one activity (for example, either vocational education activities or Working for Dole activities) in one period of joint liability (lasting six months at a time).
Clients are not expected to engage in more intensive activities as soon as their reception begins. The amount of activity required on behalf of the client to continue receiving/benefits usually stagger as follows:
- Typically, during the first three months of unemployment, job seekers have no other obligation but to submit a two week Application Form for Payment at a local office. This form asks applicants a number of questions about their circumstances and for basic details of the four positions employers use in the last two weeks. Customers may also be required to create up to 10 'Job Search Contacts' every two weeks (depending on the local labor market and their personal circumstances) and record the details of this work in the Job Seeker Diary that is issued exclusively for a certain period of time. The job seeker then retrieves the Personalized Forms of Application Form to the local Centrelink Office. He will then attend a one-on-one short interview with a Centrelink officer. Interviews are usually for the purpose of checking that application form in order and that the applicant is aware of any promises that may need to be attended, and the obligations that may need to be met. Clients at this stage also have the opportunity to talk to Centrelink officers about any issues clients may face without having to make an appointment in advance.
- If after the first three months of unemployment, as long as the job seeker only submits the two-week application form and records Job Seekers, the client remains unemployed; the client will be required to attend an appointment with an Australian Employment Service provider whose responsibility is to assist the client to reenter the workforce. Job seekers should also attend a two-week training course that focuses on job search skills such as resume writing and attending interviews.
- If the customer remains unemployed for twelve months, they then submit to the Work Experience Phase of their Work Path Plan, which consists of more intensive assistance involving the activities listed above, such as, Working for Dole, accredited studies, employment part time, volunteer work or a combination of these. Australian Employment Service Providers may require a Newstart recipient to perform volunteer work (up to 15 hours a week), where clients receive a supplement for their profit of $ 20.80 per fortnight. Supplements are also paid to Work for Dole participants. They must also continue to apply for 4 or more positions at the same time to fulfill their shared obligations.
- If the client becomes long-term unemployed (24 months or more), the client's activity requirement will typically consist of another six-month Experience Experience phase experience over a twelve month period. (Australian unemployment benefits do not have a time limit: in theory, it's possible to keep using unemployment benefits for a person's entire working life).
The Newstart Benefit Rate is adjusted on March 20 and September 20 of each year. In September 2013, the basic Newstart rate for one unemployed unemployed person is A $ 501 per fortnight. However, this basic rate does not include the payment of supplements that may include Rent Assistance up to A $ 121.00 per two weeks, and other supplements, such as Pharmaceutical Benefits, Telephone Benefits, Remote Area Allowances, Training Supplements and Jobs for Dole Supplements; which is paid depending on circumstances and personal activities. Prices vary for married couples, registered relationships or de facto partners (including sex partners or the opposite sex) and people with children. Despite a significant increase in living costs, the increase in Newstart Allowances is not in line with inflation. The new initial revenue threshold increased from 1987 to $ 60 to $ 62 in 2000 where it still exists today.
On March 1, 2010, the Government of Australia introduced changes to the Disabled Employment Service. Some existing programs are downsized into two distinctly different programs, making the assessment and referral process less complicated.
All eligible disabled job seekers have access to individually tailored services that meet their needs including capacity building, training, work experience and other 'interventions' to help participants obtain and retain suitable work. DES providers support and manage participant conditions in the workplace, along with providing ongoing support at work for as long as necessary.
The new compliance rules were introduced on July 1, 2011, dealing with client meetings with DES providers and payment holds. Data released in mid-November 2013 shows that the number of welfare recipients has increased by 55%. In 2007, 228,621 Newstart Benefit recipients were registered, the total increased to 646,414 in March 2013.
Patrick McClure since January 2014 has been appointed by the Abbott Government to review beneficiary targeting on people who receive the Newstart Allowance and the report on Disability Support Election in February 2014.
In the 2016 Australian federal budget, the Turnbull Government plans to stop a clean energy supplement of $ 4.40 for the person who started Newstart after September 20.
By 2017, the Australian Council of Social Service states that Newstart Allowance is $ 160 below the poverty line. The Australian Business Council also advocates for raising the Newstart Allowance, saying it is impossible to continue living. In March 2018, Newstart was raised 50 cents per day, which was criticized for being inadequate. After handing over Australia's 2018 federal budget, Treasurer Scott Morrison refused a call to increase the level of the Newstart Allowance, saying "my priority is to provide tax breaks to the people who work and pay taxes". Newstart has not been upgraded since 1994, when it increased $ 2.95 per week.
Youth Allowance
Youth Allowance is an income support payment available to full-time students and Australian Apprentices aged 16-24 years, and to job seekers and those who perform a combination of other activities that lead to work ages 16-20.
Admission of Youth Allowance is deemed to depend on the caregiver or independent. The underlying philosophy of the Youth Allowance is that legal guardians are responsible for supporting their children where they have the means if the youngster is not living independently of them.
Dependents of the recipient are subject to the Parent Revenue Assessment and the Family Asset Assessment, unless the parent receives a specific revenue support payment on their own. A dependent Youth Beneficiary may be exempt from the Parent Earnings Test if the parent receives his own income support payment. The recipient's dependent payment rate will decrease as a result of parental income above the parent's free income area, although the parent-free income area can be increased with your concession.
Dependents of Dependent Youth Voters may also be subject to the applicable Family Actual Means Test (FAMT) where parents work alone, engaging in trust or company or some other category. The rationale behind FAMT is that the taxable income in which Youth Allowance is normally based may not accurately reflect the true financial means of parents in this category. It asks for details of family expenditures for living expenses during the relevant tax year and extrapolates the equivalent notional income of this. Individual traders involved in primary production and parents receiving drought relief such as Extraordinary Relief Payments are waived.
All Youth Beneficiary recipients are subject to the Personal Income Tests, which take into account any income they may earn through part-time or casual work. If an independent Youth Allowance customer has a partner, their earnings will be included under the Partner's Earnings Test.
Youth Allowance has a lower payment rate for beneficiaries who live with parents or guardians than those who live away from home. Recipients who live 'away from home' are also eligible for Rent Assistance.
Fifteen-year-olds may also receive a Youth Allowance if they are defined as independent and are over the school age in the country of residence. The age of leaving school is 17 in all Australian states and territories.
Youth Allowance was introduced from July 1998 and replaced the Newstart Youth Employment and Benefit Support allowance for under-21s and AUSTUDY for under 25 students.
In 2009 significant changes to Youth Allowance were announced in the Federal Budget. Some of the proposed changes include introducing new scholarships for students, and changes to the independence criteria and the Parent Earnings Test. This amendment was passed by Parliament on March 17, 2010. The changes will be implemented for several years, starting with the introduction of a new scholarship starting April 1, 2010.
In the 2011-12 Budget, the Australian Government announces that from July 1, 2012, Youth Allowances (other) will be extended to 21 years old (currently 21-year-olds are eligible for Newstart Allowances). Twenty-one-year-olds who use the Newstart Allowance, or who have applied for it, on July 1, 2012 will not be affected by the change.
Payments Austudy
Austudy's payments were originally known as the AUSTUDY Scheme, a study allowance of all ages, but since the introduction of the Youth Allowance (see above) it has been provided for over-25s. To qualify, a person must be an Australian resident, over 25 years of age, and study full-time at an approved institution. However, students who receive a Youth Benefit before the age of 25 years and still pursue the same course continue to receive the Youth Allowance until they complete (or stop) their course.
Unlike Youth Allowance, Austudy recipients are considered independent and are not subject to Test Parental Income, Family Assets Test and Family Actual Means Test. As part of the 2007 Australian federal budget, the Austudy Payee recipients are eligible for Lease Assistance starting January 1, 2008. Prior to January 1, 2008, Rent Assistance is not paid with Austudy. Like most Centrelink payments, Austudy Payments is subject to personal and/or partner income and asset tests.
ABSTUDY
ABSTUDY (The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Study Assistance Scheme) is a welfare payment for Indigenous Australians undergoing some form of study. All Native students in high school or college, as well as those who study through correspondence, and elementary school students who are 14 years old before 1 January of their current year of study. To qualify as an Indigenous, a student must be of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent according to Centrelink standards and become an Australian citizen today. ABSTUDY is designed according to earnings tests, and partner status, guardian, and dependent children.
While this payment is made through Centrelink, payments are made under the ABSTUDY Policy. The responsibility for the ABSTUDY Policy rests with the Ministry of Education and the Department of Education, Employment and the Workplace, and is not contained in the Social Security Act of 1991.
Disability Retirement Support
Provide income support for people with long-term disabilities, which their assessors will not recover in the next two years, and which will prevent them from working or participating in training activities that enable them to work. Basic rate for one person is A $ 782.20 (in March 2015); different rates apply to persons under 18 without children, and couples, married, de facto or in same-sex relationships. Payments are revenues and assets tested. However, if the applicant is permanently blind, they may receive DSP without a test of income and assets, and without needing to prove the inability to work, etc. DSPs may take time for processing, so as a temporary measure meter is placed on other payments (eg Newstart with a medical certificate to cover an activity test) when payment is being assessed; after being granted it backed up to the date of the claim at a higher DSP level.
Patrick McClure in January 2014 has been appointed by the Abbott Government to review beneficiary targeting on people who receive the Newstart Benefit and Disability Support reporting reporting in February 2014. The eligibility criteria for DSP have been made more stringent, and unsuccessful complainants can only receive Benefits Newstart, who pays $ 170 less per week. According to ACOSS, between 2010 and 2016 there is a big decrease in successful claims for DSP.
Sickness Allowance
Sick benefits are paid to those currently suffering from illness, injury, or disability (short term ie less than two years), employed, and have no access to leave or have used all their leave. Paid under the Newstart system without Activity Test.
Payments Payments
Payment of caregivers is given to those who provide full-time care to someone who is sick, injured or has a disability.
Parenting Payments
Payments for those who are primary caregivers of dependent children under 6 years of age for partners and children under 8 for a single customer. Parenting Payment Partnered is classified as allowance and Parenting Payment Single is classified as pension.
A controversial decision by the Labor Party in 2006 and 2013, to transfer single parents to lower Newstart payments, has placed single parents well below the poverty line. Welfare groups have reported this parent, 82.3% of whom are women (ABS 2011), turned to prostitution (due to cash options in hand), have abandoned their education and slept in their car. This decision was made as an incentive for parents to seek employment, as 57% of primary housewives work and 70% of major domestic fathers work (ABS 2011). With a quarter of single parent households led by single parents being 896,542 families (17.7% male & 82.3% female, ABS 2011)
Parenting Payment Partnered uses individual and partner earnings tests to determine the level of payments with the withdrawal rate of 60 cents in dollars (as of July 1, 2007) on earnings above the set limits. The gross income of the partner is valued as divided, regardless of the taxes of the individuals already paid. If, for example, the breadwinner currently pays 30 per cent of the personal tax, the effective marginal tax rate (EMTR) after withdrawal is 90 per cent of the income above the limit of the invoice (EMTR before July 1, 2007 is 100% partner's earnings above the statutory earnings limit).
Additional and additional payments
Rent Assistance
Beneficiaries who are classified as non-homeowners and pay more than the required number of boards or rent for accommodation qualify for Rent Assistance payments. This payment is payable as part of revenue support payments. Verify the lease details are required, either rent or by completion of the Lease Certificate every six months. The amount of rental assistance the recipient is eligible to depend on the amount of rent a person pays. The basic rate for one person without children and not sharing accommodation is as follows. On January 28, 2010, Rent Assistance began to be paid when a two-week lease of a lessee was over A $ 99.40. For each dollar exceeding this amount, Rent Assistance pays A $ 0.75, up to a maximum of A $ 111.80 per fortnight. The maximum amount to be paid is lower for those who share the accommodation, in this case is A $ 74.53. Different rates apply to couples, couples separated by illness, couples temporarily separated and singles and couples with dependent children.
Pharmaceutical Benefits
A $ 6.00 per two-week payment for those who receive Centrelink payments, to help cover the cost of prescription drugs. The amount includes a one-week prescription fee for concession card holders eligible for the drug concession level (A $ 5.90 per script starting January 1, 2013) covered under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, which includes most of the prescription drugs that available.
Phone allowance
Payments issued quarterly to qualified customers who receive a pension payment, to help cover the cost of the phone bill. Eligible customers must have a subscription telephone service on their behalf to be eligible for Phone Benefits. There are two tariffs to pay: a base rate of A $ 23.40 and a higher A $ 35.20 rate.
Pensioner Education Supplement
"The Pensioner Education Supplement (PES) assists [recipients] with full-time or part-time study costs." This is an additional payment for those who retire. This only applies to approved courses. Undergraduate degrees and many TAFE courses are approved courses, but generally postgraduate study is not. One still qualifies for PES for study even if you have completed previous studies.
Payments made under the New Tax (Family Assistance) Tax Code
- Family Tax Benefit Part A - for parents or guardians to help with the cost of raising children.
- Family Tax Benefit Part B - for single income families or single parents.
- Maternal Immunization Allowance - for fully immunized children or those released from immunization
- Benefits of Child Care - for families to help with childcare costs.
- Schoolkids Bonus - for families with tuition fees for children in primary and secondary schools.
Family Tax Benefit
Family Tax Benefits are per-child payments made through the Department of Human Services to persons with at least 35 percent parenting for a child. Family Tax Benefit is the income tested on adjusted family taxable income in the given financial year. Recipients of income support are exempt from income tests and are eligible for the maximum payment rate.
Payments can be paid in a two-week installment or as a one-time payment at the end of the year. For Family Tax Benefits paid in installments, the income test is based on the estimated adjusted taxable income reconciled after the recipient has filed a tax return. The reconciliation process compares earnings estimates with their actual earnings.
- Centrelink debt is overpaid, when customers underestimate their earnings.
- Top-up payments are made at the end of the year, when customers overstate their earnings that can be used to repay Centrelink's outstanding debt.
Family Tax Benefits Part B is paid based on the lower of the recipients and their partner's income, or, for the single parent to the maximum level.
Maternal Immunization Allowance
Maternal Immunization Benefits are granted to parents whose children have received all immunizations prescribed by the national immunization schedule by the time they are 2 years old. Alternatively, if parents object to immunization for any reason and tell Centrelink about it, they can also receive this benefit. The allowance stops on July 1, 2012.
Benefits of Child Care
Child Care Benefit helps Australian parents with approved and registered child care fees. This is a proven payment method and is based on the taxable income of the recipient; low income families receive the highest Child Care allowance.
The Australian Government spends about $ 2.1 billion on Child Care Benefit to help families with child care expenses in the financial year ending June 30, 2011.
Bonus Schoolkids
In May 2012, the Australian Government abolished the Education Tax Refund Tax (ETR) allowing families to claim a refund for tuition through the Australian Tax Office (ATO). Schoolkids Bonus replaces ETR from 1 January 2013. Bonus Schoolkids aims to help families and students with tuition fees for children in primary and secondary schools. Bonus School Children are paid in 2 equal installments each year in January and July.
Paying Parental Schemes Paid
The Paid Parental Leave Scheme provides financial support to working parents of newborn or recently adopted children. Under the scheme, the government funds the employer to provide Parental Leave or Dad Payments and Partner Pay to their eligible employees.
Parental Leave Payments are paid to the primary caretakers of children and parents eligible to pay up to 18 weeks based on the National Minimum Wage rate. Dad and Partner Pay are for qualified fathers or partners (including adopting parents and same-sex couples) to pay up to two weeks based on the National Minimum Wage rate.
Concession card
The following concession cards are issued by Centrelink:
- Health Care Cards - primary rights holders for PBS drugs at the concession level. Most payees are entitled to this and people who receive a maximum share of Family Tax Benefit A. These cards have secondary benefits, including cheaper public transport in some states.
- The Commonwealth Elderly Health Card - HCC is issued to senior citizens
- Retired Concession Card - this offers additional benefits to Retirees, including pensioner transportation costs (in some areas), and a number of free state travel rides within the country of ownership.
Prison and mental hospital
Persons imprisoned or admitted to psychiatric institutions are generally not eligible to receive benefits during prison duration or admission. (However, it can be paid if the psychiatric stay is classified as rehabilitation.) Benefits of proceeding after being released or excluded. However, upon release or discharge from prison or psychiatric hospitalization for more than two weeks, plaintiffs are entitled to additional payments equal to seven days of their regular payments, to assist with the adjustment.
Any decision made under social security law must be written and given notice, usually in the letter. Applications for such a decision review may be submitted at any time, but depending on the action of decision-making can only be taken if the review is received within 13 weeks of receiving notice, for a decision made pursuant to a Social Security measure, or 52 weeks for a decision to be made under Family Assistance Law. At the bottom of each letter informing customers of Centrelink's decision, the box "your rights" tells people about the possible path to review.
Internal review
Legislation ultimately governs the decision-making process, and Centrelink's policy guidance provides the lens through which legislation is interpreted by Centrelink Customer Service Advisers (CSA). However, regardless of laws and policies, there are still many areas where significant discretion is given to decision makers, which may have to be reviewed internally and externally.
Original decision maker (ODM) review
Centrelink has a defined two-tiered internal review system. The initial stage is the ODM Review, where the problem is brought back to the CSA for review. This is a fully intra-office process and serves as a preliminary examination of the decision, and further appeals from ODM only when necessary. Many reviews are caused by legislative changes, administrative errors, provision of new customer documentation, or customer disagreement with the decision. There is also an opportunity for customers to file formal written complaints. However, many individuals may not want to have the same CSA make another decision, which can even cause confusion as to whether the internal review has actually taken place.
After the ODM review is completed, it should contain relevant legislative provisions, new information being considered, and a determination stating whether the original decision has been ruled out, confirmed or varied.
Authorized review (ARO) reviews
If an individual is dissatisfied, an Authorized Review Officer (ARO), an officer delegating the reviewing power of the Secretary to social security law purposes, may affirm, alter or set aside the original decision. Although a Centrelink employee, the ARO does not defend the ODM decision as it is a strong principle that AROs are not dependent on the situation and have no previous involvement in the case. However, ARO also looks at laws with the same policy guidelines as the CSA.
External review
Social Security Appeal Court - SSAT
Customers who are dissatisfied with an internal review of their decision may apply to the Social Security Appeal Court (SSAT) to review decisions set, vary or be excluded by internal review, with a few exceptions. SSAT generally has the same strength as the Secretary, and may affirm, modify, exclude and change the decision or return the matter to Centrelink with recommendations. SSAT hearings are generally informal, confidential and not bound by the Law of Evidence.
Experience has shown that in SSAT, weighting is more directed to laws that conflict with policy guidelines. Welfare advocacy groups such as the Center for Welfare Rights are often involved in providing legal assistance to individuals affected by Centrelink decisions.
Since July 1, 2015, SSAT is no longer a separate court. Along with the Migration Review Tribunal and Tribunal Refugee Review, SSAT has joined the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT). Decisions considered to be reviewed by ARO are now heard in the AAT's Social Services and Child Support Section. SSAT's primary function as the first level of the review process has changed and is now known as 'AAT first review'. Therefore, the traditional two-tier review process has metamorphosed in light of amalgamation but retained in the AAT.
AAT and Courts
The decision must have been reviewed by the SSAT before it can be heard on the AAT. However, the Secretary or person delegated on behalf of the Secretary may appeal the decision of the SSAT. Only 17% of decisions are canceled at AAT. A further appeal (only on legal questions) is available to both the Federal Court and the Court of Appeal.
Ombudsman
The Commonwealth Ombudsman does not undertake a feasibility review (such as ARO, SSAT, or AAT), but considers the administrative decision-making process used by Centrelink to reach decisions or take complaints.
When the Ombudsman concludes that there are deficiencies in Centrelink's actions (for example) the Ombudsman may make recommendations to Centrelink for remedial action. This can cause Centrelink to change their decisions, or provide a better explanation of their decisions.
Investigations by Ombudsmen usually result from complaints about Centrelink decisions or actions, and in the process of investigation, the Ombudsman is entitled to view Centrelink records and ask questions to Centrelink staff. Although the Ombudsman has no coercive power to make Centrelink change decisions or act in a certain way, recommendations made by the Ombudsman are rarely rejected.
See also
- Moneyless Welfare Card
- Social security
- Social insurance
- Social welfare
- Social safety nets
- Superannuation in Australia
- Welfare (financial assistance)
- Welfare state
- Welfare reform
References
External links
- Government
- Centrelink
- Family Assistance Office
- Commonwealth Ombudsman
- Social Security Appeal Court (SSAT)
- The Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT)
- More
- Austudy students must receive Rent - National Union of Students help articles
- Taxation and social security issues in Pension - Pension Fundamentals, Investor's Knowledge Center (Vanguard Investments Australia)
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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