Community access

Rural, regional and remote communities

We have help to reach customers in rural, regional and remote communities.

Agents and Access Points

Agents and Access Points help people in your community access government services.

If you’re a business, local council or community group, you can become an Agents and Access Points host. When a spot becomes available, we’ll advertise it in the local media.

Mobile Service Centres

These centres travel to rural and regional areas to help people with services and payments. Our staff offer a range of services to meet the changing needs of communities. See when a Mobile Service Centre will be near you.

Nominees

You can nominate another person, such as a family member or friend, or an organisation to deal with us for you. Read more about getting someone to act on your behalf.

Information in your language

We have information in your language. It can help you connect people in your community with services and information in other languages. We provide access to free interpreters, including Auslan interpreters.

We also have accessible information in CD, DVD, large print, braille and e-text formats.

Interpreter options for deaf or hard of hearing customers

If you’re deaf or hard of hearing, you can use different interpreting options when communicating with us, including:

• free Auslan interpreters provided by us
• your own interpreting and translation services and devices.

You can use your own interpreter:

• in person
• via video chat on your own device.

If you use your own interpreter over the phone, they must be accredited.

We also have accessible information in CD, DVD, large print, braille and e-text formats.

Specialist staff

Our specialist staff offer a range of tailored services. They can help customers access our payments and services and other services in your community. They consider personal circumstances before suggesting services.

Read about our specialist officers to see how they can help your community:

• Indigenous Service Officers
• social workers
• Community Engagement Officers
• Financial Information Service Officers
• Multicultural Service Officers
• Interpreters and translators
• Grandparent, Foster and Kinship Carer Advisers
• Farm Household Case Officers
• Aged Care Specialist Officers
• Community Partnership Specialist Officers.

You can also use Service Finder to find other government and community resources in your community.

Accessible facilities

Our service centres meet all Australian standards in relation to physical access. This ensures people with disability can access them.

There are call services for people who are deaf, have hearing loss or speech disability. You can use the National Relay Service to call us. Go to the National Relay Service on the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts website and find the call service best suited for you. If you need assistance, contact the National Relay Service Helpdesk.

TTY

We also provide a free direct-call TTY service for people who are deaf, have hearing loss or a speech disability. To use this service, you can call us on 1800 810 586. A tele-typewriter phone is required to access this service.

Accessible online information

Our website provides accessible information with access supports for people with disability including:

• audio and video clips
• accessible transcripts and captioned videos.

Our website meets the standards under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992. Read about accessibility.