[David Grima]

Hi all,
One of our customer service officers was told by a ratepayer that they were eligible for a pensioner concession card but that instead of a physical copy they had been given a digital version via a phone app.
I have just received the following confirmation from Centrelink:-
Hello David,
DHS now has a suite of applications for our mutual customers.
One of these applications allows the person to have their concession card on their smart phones.
If you search our website for “Digital Wallet”, you will find more information in relation to this service.
The customer should still receive a paper card to use.
Did I miss the circular on that?
Dave

[Dajana Poblete]

That is news to us! Is the Pension application ever going to be able to be electronic?

[John Towers]

I have contacted OLG regarding this issue & they weren’t aware of it either. It is my understanding they are going to investigate etc.

It’s nice to know that Centrelink are introducing these things & not advising stakeholders. Not.

As for the Application Form, it is actually approved/controlled by Centrelink so you are unable to amend the form.

If your Council is one that takes a copy of the card for record purposes then my suggestion at this stage is to continue to request to see the paper PCC which is still being issued. If the customer has a problem with that then they can raise that with Centrelink.

As to the application ever being electronic, as the customer needs to give Council authorisation to access Centrelink for auto verification I think that is some way off.

[Emma Murphy]

I presume everyone got the email from the Department of Human Services “New initiative for concession card holders” on 1/8/14

[Robert Hay]

test

[Peter Goddard]

Removed

[John Towers]

Please see the below which is Centrelinks response to OLG regarding Digital Wallets. I’m sure we all know that collection of the copy of the card isn’t mandatory but we do it for our own purposes. I guess it all means do what you’ve been doing or what you think you should be doing. Thanks to Helen for following up.

JT
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Thank you for your enquiry.

In regards to the Centrelink auditing process, physical records/photocopies of the Pensioner Concession Card are not required to be provided. It is solely at the discretion of the Council whether they are taking copies of the card or not, as this is not a requirement of the Centrelink Confirmation eServices Contract.

Therefore, Digital Wallets would fall into the same category. Digital Wallets would not be required to be provided as part of the Centrelink audit process.

A selection of customer consent forms are requested to confirm customer consent has been provided prior to the information being accessed through Business Online Services.

Let me know if you require anything further.

Regards
Shanleigh Munro
Account Manager

Third Party Organisations
Account Management Team NSW & ACT
Department of Human Services – Centrelink
56 Archer Street, Chatswood
P: (02) 9448 3807
M: 0477 317 481
F: (02) 9448 3905

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