The Commonwealth Ombudsman, Prof. John McMillan, today welcomed action taken aimed at ensuring that Centrelink’s family tax benefit customers who separated in 2005–06 will be paid their 2006 family tax benefit supplement in a timely manner.

Centrelink customers who have recently separated often experience financial hardship and want to be paid their family tax benefit supplement as soon as possible. Until now, customers who separated during 2005–06 could have been disadvantaged by not being able to be paid their 2006 family tax benefit supplement until their former partner had lodged their 2005–06 tax return – if required by the Australian Taxation Office – or until 31 October 2006, whichever was the earlier.

As a result of an Ombudsman investigation, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs agreed that under the family assistance law a person may be entitled to an earlier payment. The law provides that some customers could be paid as early as late July rather than having to wait until after October if their former partner had not lodged a tax return by then.

Prof. McMillan said that any customers who had separated during the 2005–06 financial year should contact Centrelink if they wanted to be paid their family tax benefit as soon as possible.

Date of release: 24 July 2006