Just to correct some misinformation in your post mummy_allyk
Family assistance is a part of centrelink that Medicare has limited access to in their offices. The processing of claims was previously shared between centrelink offices and Medicare specialist staff that were trained. That is no longer the case. No forms are processed at your local centrelink office for fao claims, and very few, if any, are processed by Medicare staff on their offices. Medicare staff can update estimates if absolutely necessary. Maybe make some updates - but their access and knowledge is extremely limited. Fao updates are auctioned by fao/centrelink staff.

Contracting a social worker at this point relating to the claim in question is pointless. Until the proof of birth is received on the centrelink file, which, if lodged at a Medicare office, can take up to two weeks, nothing can be done by anyone to speed the process as there is no proof of birth available to confirm the child exists. A social worker can make recommendations up the wazoo but nothing can be acted upon until that proof if birth can be viewed on the file.

Parenting payment single is NOT contingent on claiming child support. This is not the case AT ALL. The ability to get more than $50 ish per fortnight if ftb part a is related to child support assessment, and yes, after a period of time, if no claim has been made for child support, ftba will reduce. But it does not have any impact on parenting payment at all


Keike, I can't recall exactly, but I have vague recollections of your nieces dad going back overseas. It will still be an expectation that your sister contact child support if that is the case, but if he is in a country with no reciprocal agreement for child support purposes, she will likely be exempted from the child support side of things until her returns to Australia