If you think Centrelink have made a mistake, or you are not happy with a decision they made, you have the right to appeal. This means you can ask for a decision to be looked at again.

You have the right to appeal any Centrelink decision that you disagree with, but you should get some advice first. For a list of people who can help you, see our page Where to go for help.

There are people who can help you. You can always call your Client Services Officer, or talk to your Client Liaison Officer when they come to visit. Your local Community Legal Centre or Legal Aid office can also give you advice.

What to do

If you want to appeal a decision made by Centrelink you should do the following.

Talk to the original decision maker at Centrelink. You can find out why the decision was made, present new information or fix a misunderstanding.

If you are still not happy with the outcome after talking to the original decision maker, you should speak to the Authorised Review Officer at Centrelink. Authorised Review Officers are senior officers at Centrelink who have the power to change Centrelink decisions. They will not have been involved in your case before you contact them.

If you cannot reach agreement with the Authorised Review Officer you can contact the Social Services and Child Support Division of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal. They are independent of Centrelink. They provide fair reviews of social security payments and student assistance decisions.

NOTE: The Social Services and Child Support Division can only look at a decision that has been reviewed by an Authorised Review Officer.

How to make an appeal

It is best to lodge an appeal in writing, so that you can keep a copy of everything you included.

If you make an appeal over the phone or at a Centrelink office, ask for a receipt number and make a note of the time, date and name of the person you speak to.

Need more help?

For more information visit:

The  National Social Security Rights Network has a series of fact sheets that include the following topics:

  • Appealing a Centrelink decision
  • Carer Payment and Carer Allowance
  • Compensation preclusion periods.