Policy Online
Civil - core areas of legal aid work
1. Disputes with Centrelink
Extended Legal Assistance is available to clients for disputes with Centrelink at the AAT (tier 1) relating to:
- Disability Support Pension qualification
- Member of a couple cases (where a client’s payment has been cancelled and a debt raised due to the client being considered a ‘member of a couple’)
- Clients with non-payment periods (e.g. compensation preclusion periods, income maintenance periods, penalties, newly arrived residents' waiting periods)
- Residence issues
- Special Benefit payment issues (including eligibility and rate)
- Debts greater than $5,000, or
- Other issues where resolution of the dispute at this early stage will prevent further detriment being experienced by the client.
To be eligible for ELA a client must satisfy the following eligibility tests:
- ELA Means Test, and
- ELA Merit Test.