The Family Assistance Office is bound by laws that contain strict confidentiality clauses. These provisions limit who can look at information about you and when it can be given out. If you think that the Family Assistance Office has breached your privacy or confidentiality, you can make a complaint to any Family Assistance Office. Your complaint will be taken seriously and investigated thoroughly. If you are not satisfied with the Family Assistance Office's investigation you can make a complaint to the Privacy Commissioner.
Under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 and family assistance law you have the right to access most documents about you that are held by the Family Assistance Office. You also have the right to access manuals and rules the Family Assistance Office uses to make decisions about you.
Your Rights - Review of Decisions
If you do not agree with a decision made by an officer from the Family Assistance Office you can request a review of the decision. An independent person then reviews the decision. If, after the review, you are still not happy with the decision, you can then apply to the Social Security Appeals Tribunal for a review of most decisions. You have a further right of appeal through the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT).
Your Responsibilities
You should contact the Family Assistance Office as soon as possible about any changes to your circumstances that may affect your payments. You must tell us as soon as possible of changes such as:
you separate or re-partner
you might get some unexpected income (e.g. a capital gain, a pay rise, more paid overtime, a redundancy payout, cash from an early harvest or a rise in crop prices)
you think the estimate you gave is wrong or might have changed
you are planning to go overseas
your income or child support changes
you move or the amount of rent you pay changes
the care arrangements for your children changes
your child's circumstances change, such as they start school, leave school or their income changes.
