Who we are

Information about Services Australia, our history and the government programs and services we deliver.

Who we are now

We are Services Australia, an Australian Government agency within the Social Services portfolio. We support Australians by efficiently delivering high-quality, accessible services and payments on behalf of the government.

We deliver all the following programs and services:

  • Medicare
  • Centrelink
  • Child Support
  • myGov.

Our vision is to make government services simple so people can get on with their lives.

Watch this video to learn more about who we are.

Medicare

Medicare is Australia’s universal health care system. It’s a national scheme providing Australians and some overseas visitors with free or subsidised health services.

Australians help to cover its costs through the Medicare levy.

Watch this video to learn more about Medicare.

Read more about Medicare.

Centrelink

We deliver Centrelink social security payments and services to Australians and to eligible visa holders.

We provide a wide range of services for people who are:

  • raising children
  • looking for work
  • doing an apprenticeship or traineeship
  • studying
  • living with disability or a medical condition, or caring for someone who is
  • retired or thinking about retirement.

Watch this video to learn more about Centrelink.

Read more about Centrelink.

Child Support

Child support can be payments or payment arrangements made between separated parents to help with the costs of raising children. It can also be paid by both parents to another person looking after their children, such as a grandparent or legal guardian.

We can help you to decide on, manage and apply for child support.

Watch this video to learn more about our child support program.

Read more about child support.

myGov

myGov is the simple and secure way to access government services online and is run by Services Australia.

With a myGov account you can access services including all the following:

  • Australian Taxation Office
  • Centrelink
  • Child Support
  • Medicare.

You can choose which services to link to your myGov account. It also has a secure Inbox where you can get messages from some of your linked services.

Watch this video to learn more about myGov.

Read more about myGov on the myGov website.

How we got here

The origins of Services Australia go back to the early 20th century. Before 1900, support for Australians was provided by charities. In 1909, the Commonwealth began to pay aged pensions. This was followed by a maternity allowance in 1912.

In the 1930s, the Australian Government created the Department for Health and Social Services to manage unemployment payments. In 1945, the government introduced several benefits including unemployment and sickness benefits. In 1946, the Commonwealth Employment Service was created to help job seekers find paid employment.

In 1976, the government launched Medibank Private, a non-profit private health insurance firm. By 1984, this became the national health insurance system Medicare, offering basic health care for all Australians. It was funded through an income tax and allowed private insurance options.

In 1988, the Child Support Scheme was formed to address problems with court-ordered child maintenance payments. The Australian Taxation Office was initially responsible for collecting and enforcing child support payments.

In 1997, Centrelink was launched as a government agency in conjunction with the Department of Social Security. National offices were established to help people who needed social security payments.

In 2004, the Department of Human Services (DHS) was created to improve the development, delivery and coordination of Australian Government services. These 6 agencies began reporting to the Minister for Human Services through DHS:

  • Centrelink
  • the Health Insurance Commission (HIC)
  • the Child Support Agency (CSA)
  • CRS Australia
  • Health Services Australia
  • Australian Hearing.

CSA and CRS Australia were then brought into DHS.

HIC was renamed Medicare Australia in 2005.

In 2011, Centrelink and Medicare Australia were integrated into DHS. The department became responsible for payments and services previously delivered by these agencies.

In 2019, the department was reformed as Services Australia, a new agency reporting to the Minister for Government Services. Services Australia delivers payments and services on behalf of more than 8 policy departments and agencies.

Page last updated: 21 October 2024.
QC 80096