A statutory authority providing information and assistance relating to a range of Australian Government programs, including all services formerly provided by the Department of Social Security, as well as childcare and student assistance payments and services, registration of all new applicants for income support and employment assistance, self-help job search facilities, referrals for employment assistance, and specialist labour market assistance services for disadvantaged groups.
Centrelink is a statutory authority responsible for delivering human services on behalf of agencies of the Commonwealth Government of Australia. The majority of Centrelink's services are the disbursement of social security payments and the coordination of Job Network, a national job-matching scheme. Centrelink delivers services primarily on behalf of the Department of Families, Community Services & Indigenous Affairs (92% of services) and the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (5% of services)Halligan, J: "The quasi-autonomous agency in an ambiguous environment: the Centrelink case" Public Administration and Development 24(2): 147-156, 153..