Centrelink workers & family members

Are there rules for centrelink employee's regarding checking the files of family members?

My sisters SIL works for centrelink. The SIL seems to not like my sister, or our whole family & has always made degrading comments about us, but we don't actually know them. I'd say I've met her twice, but she's never been interested in acknowledging my existence. No great loss.



She seems to think working for centrelink makes her very high & mighty though. She's made comments to other members of their family saying she believes my sister is on PPS (She's not, never has been). Apparently she's trying to find out. This is why I assume she's not allowed to check files of family members, or she'd know already.
Then she sat at their table the other night & apparently told them that she could make it so someone wasn't allowed to ever get centrelink payments again. Which I'm sure is a load of BS.

Thing is though, that my sisters PPP has been cut off. She called them & the person she spoke to couldn't find any reason for it. Said he'd send out forms for her to fill in ASAP... I told her to call back, coz I'm sure they can do all this online now.

Does this all seem odd to you? We don't think the SIL had anything to do with it, but it is all a bit suss...

Having worked for similar organisations, you can check anything. There are no checks, but if you are found out and complained about, and they can prove the complaint, you can be sacked immediately as it is against the rules.

I'd call back and ask for an investigation into who cut off the payment. There will be a digital log if you change something.

I'd be wary about filling in more forms if SiL could see them and would gossip about them - that is usually a sacking offence too.

Well I thought it odd that she'd have to fill out forms anyway. If a payment is cut, and can be reinstated, it should be without her going through the process of applying for it again.

Nothing in their circumstances have changed, except that he ceased work about 2 weeks ago (business closed its doors, no redundancy etc). But moving away is on the cards in the next 8 weeks. Away from his family.

My sister doesn't want to assume that her SIL would actually risk her career for something so petty, but nothing makes sense at all. It could just be a system glitch.

I did tell her to put in a complaint a few days ago, but nothing had actually been said to her face at that stage.

The timing just seems too coincidental.

No it is absolutely against the rules. She would get the sack if she was and was found out. If they present at your front desk then you need to pass them off to some one else to protect their privacy. If you accidentally go onto the file of someone you know then you need to report it to someone else immediately so it can be noted as an accident. Her computer actions would be monitored and recorded. It is the same if you work at the ATO.

It's a dismissable offence to look into anyone's account that does not directly involve your current application. If it is a family member, they are required to make it known to their team leader and not have anything to do with it.
Your SIL could call in an anomymous tip off if she suspects anything.
Yes they do system checks regularly and staff dismissed due to that. The staff are not advised directly of what is involved, just an email reminder of the values they agree to.

If you suspect anything that may sound amiss, then you should report it and it will get investigated.

Thanks all. I did guess that, but wasn't sure myself. My sister is busy cleaning & trying to get out of her rental by Friday, so she probably won't be able to do much before next week, but it'll be interesting to see what comes out of all this.

So, if you report it now your sister has an alibi and can't be blamed?

Accessing records in the way you've mentioned is a no go. Of a staff member answers a call from someone they know (family/friend/neighbour) they have to transfer the call, notify their manager and complete a register stating what happened, what screens/information were accessed (when you out in your reference number, it shows up immediately when your call is answered in most cases). I've had to do it a few times.

We revisit the privacy stuff regularly in training. We've also been shown case studies of how they've tracked staff that have accessed things they shouldn't. Every file that is accessed is traceable, and the security tracking looks at lots of things (names, locations, relationships). There have been staff terminated, fined, prosecuted for access that shouldn't be happening

If your sister suspects her SIL is in any way involved in inappropriate access, she can report it and it will be investigated. Your sister will likely never know the outcome, and unless the sil has done something wrong, she likely won't know she has been reported/investigated


As to the PPP cancellation, there are any number of reasons that might have been suspended. If earnings verification has been requested and not supplied (as one example), payment will be suspended and can't be restored until the details are provided - and that cant be dine over the phone. While a lot of things can be sorted over The phone, there are still some things that require physical evidence to be provided. It's far more likely to be skze thing like this than in any way related to her sil.

So, if you report it now your sister has an alibi and can't be blamed?

It's my sisters file & payment, it's HER SIL who works for the agency. I don't believe the SIL would have accessed the file, that's why she'd be trying to get information from other family members, because she knows what is at risk if she were to do so. But there is no information. My sister hasn't done anything wrong. They called her an unfit mother when she had half a cider on Christmas day while having lunch at their house. That's how petty they seem to be. My sister doesn't drive & their child was 13 months old & she has a sober father who is capable of caring for her should that one drink have some extreme affect


I've asked her a few questions trying to figure out what might have happened BG. Will ask if they've asked her to supply anything. Though as I said, no circumstances have changed since the child was born in Nov 13. Except that he recently was put out of work, only 2 weeks ago. He hasn't applied for any payments & when she did call they couldn't find any reason for it. I'm not sure if she's registered for online letters or if she'll get a letter of explanation in the mail in the next few days.

Clover, I meant your sister's in laws can't blame her if this is the case.

Edited - I think I understand. I don't know how the IL's would be. They're all an odd bunch. I really don't know them. They (well the sisters & mother) don't like her at the best of times. She posted the baby's first steps on facebook & was abused & blocked because she didn't inform them first...

They've been talking about coming over here for a while, because they knew the shop would be out of business any day, but they also are wanting to put some distance between themselves & his family.