centrelink and medicare appointment?

[Guest boesman]

Hi folks, we are arriving on the 14th of Jan in Addies which is a saturday. Monday the 16th we would like to register with medicare and centrelink. Do we need to make appointments for these or just drop in and will they be open in January? We will go to the nearest offices to Moana. Any tips or hints would be greatful! Thanks so much.

 

Lindie

[Guest zamunda]

Hi

 

We are not in Oz yet. But when one of my friends moved over (to Melbourne) they just walked into Centrelink. According to him everything took about 45 mins.

 

Hope this helps.

[Guest boesman]

Thanks, I hope you are right:wink:

[Guest Guest6899]

Hi, you just walk into both, we did ours in port noarlunga. you can collect the forms from the medicare office then hand them in and you will get a temporary card. Centrelink is done via the phone or internet from home or in the office, we have waitied quite a while in there when dropping off documents, you dont make appointments for either, but its pretty straight forward.

Lisa

[jimmyskinner]

I cant believe people come to Australia and the first thing they want to know is how do we get Centrelink hand outs. This is one of the reasons the UK gets slagged off , giving taxpayers money to immigrants.

[Guest ladyarkles]

For Medicare we downloaded the form here: http://www.medicareaustralia.gov.au/public/files/ma_3101_medicare_enrolment_application_form_011005.pdf

Printed it up, filled it in as best we could and took it to the office on Currie St, Adelaide.

 

All people over the age of 15 on the form have to go to the office.

 

We were there about 45 mins (max) and they were very nice and helpful.

 

Parking is a bit tricky round there, but there are loads of buses and it is near the tram route.

 

~ Rachel

[Guest guest7008]

I cant believe people come to Australia and the first thing they want to know is how do we get Centrelink hand outs. This is one of the reasons the UK gets slagged off , giving taxpayers money to immigrants.

 

Personnally speaking, Its knowing in the early days that you may have some money coming in whilst looking for a job etc, I don't think the majority of us are heading off to Oz to lay on the beach, claim benefits and sit on our backsides doing nothing claiming every benefit going, its just a little bit of security knowing that you have a little bit of cash coming into the bank - there are a lot of us coming over without bucket loads of cash, who are giving up lots of things in the uK to start a new life for ourselves and our children, those people that are fortunate enough to come with no money worries are very lucky, but those of us that are comin on a strict budget know that the little bit of centrelink payments we may be able to claim will help us settle in those early days. Just my opinion but i know that those payments we will get will help us loads in those early days of massive start up costs.

[sueoc]

Centrelink is abused by shysters,i know people here in Adelaide who are of this ilk.This of course creates a Stigma about it all,much like the DHSS in the UK.But there are also many who genuinely need this service short term in order to get themselves on an even footing job wise.We need to look at all aspects before we judge methinks.

[Guest Crushfamily]

Housos for all those with access to SBS!

[jaynem]

We didn't come with 'buckets loads of cash' and also 'gave up a lot of things to start a new life', but personally I find it really hard to accept that people expect centrelink benefits when they haven't contributed to the system!!!!. Immigrants in the UK are given a really hard time for relying on state benefits!!! Many of them are leaving countries facing terrible hardship etc

[Guest boesman]

I cant believe people come to Australia and the first thing they want to know is how do we get Centrelink hand outs. This is one of the reasons the UK gets slagged off , giving taxpayers money to immigrants.

 

And there I was thinking that I was also going to pay TAX as soon as I start working in my first week of arrival. Perhaps the UK immigrants'.. tax isn't good enough....and should we just take the handouts.....

 

 

 

Because I never looked into claiming benefits in the first place, I thought centrelink was just one of the things you HAVE TO register with once you arrive as I keep seeing it in posts. Why shouldn't it help people who migrate and really needs it? Don't say that financially struggling people shouldn't have a chance to start a better life for themselves. I originally came from a country where there are no such things as benefits. You don't work, you don't have/get money. If you go to certain state hospitals, you even have to take your own bedding.... Now where can that be.....

[bruce n sheila]

At what point has the op said they intend to claim. I registered with Medicare. Erm your a fool not to as it forms part of your ID for new arrivals and you need it every time you visit the dr. I also registered with centre link as we would take any help to find a job and we didn't claim a cent. But at the end of the day, if you are entitled to claim family child credits then get it, if you don't want it I will have yours.

[Guest Helchops]

I cant believe people come to Australia and the first thing they want to know is how do we get Centrelink hand outs. This is one of the reasons the UK gets slagged off , giving taxpayers money to immigrants.

 

I find this offensive. We're coming, in our twenties with no money (very little) and may have to rely on centrelink until we have built ourselves up a bit...BUT we have forty years of taxes that will be paid to oz, I'm bringing web businesses over too, so I know we'll pay much more than we take (if anything). You sir, need to know the full story.

[cazzaj]

the only reason people slag immigrants in the uk are that they are freely allowed to claim benefits..claim for families in other countries and are not police checked or blood tested or had to pay through there ass to get into uk like we have had to get into australia..my husband got a job within a couple of days luckly but we get a bit of help through center link and why not ?? works his ass off and pays taxes

maybe people who live in THE GRANGE dont need to claim any benefits well ..well done you arnt you the smug pom!!!!!!!!!

[Guest hughescl]

I cant believe people come to Australia and the first thing they want to know is how do we get Centrelink hand outs. This is one of the reasons the UK gets slagged off , giving taxpayers money to immigrants.

 

Most people on this site coming to Oz are UK tax payers, and have spent a lot of funds getting here to help out the Oz economy so I see no problem in asking for a little help when we all arrive. As a family we claimed tax allowance when we first arrived but started work after 2 weeks not a bad trade off for the Oz economy after handing over so much money to get here. All the poster was asking for was for a little help and I thought that was what this site was for, not to slag each other off!

[jimmyskinner]

I don't want to get into a slagging match everybody has their own views, Grange isn't expensive by the way $390 a week we pay thought that was about average.

[cazzaj]

:rolleyes:well someone was only asking for a bit of advice.....helpful imformation and support i thought this site was about????? that reply you made wasnt helpful or supportive ..AND THAT WAS MY VIEW

[Guest brianlynnette]

omg i cant believe your response!!! someone was asking for advise and youve just called them scroungers, fair enough youve got your own views, when we come to oz we will also be scroungers as parents of 5 children, me and my fiance have both worked since we we both left school so no were not coming over to scrounge and sit on the beach all day, we will be trying our hardest to find jobs and if that means getting by on centrelink for a few weeks then so be it, then when we both get jobs we'll be claiming their equivalent of working tax if were intitled to it, were giving up everything here, jobs, schools, security, im sorry if youre offended by us scroungers... actually im not!!! its people like you who give honest hardworking people a hard time, lets hope you never have to claim benefits, and as someone else said before you judge get your facts straight!!!

[Lazy Cow]

Why shouldn't it help people who migrate and really needs it? Don't say that financially struggling people shouldn't have a chance to start a better life for themselves. ..

 

 

I think the reaction from jimmyskinner was rather knee-jerk and possibly based on the way the post appeared to be saying "i'm arriving, need to claim immediately and btw does anyone have any hints (for successfully claiming?)"

 

Centrelink is there to help people who need it. Australia needs young families and it is good that people are bringing the future with them. What perhaps makes it an emotive issue is when people connect Centrelink with bludging. Or with migrants coming over and taking before they can give. Like most, if not all, on here we hit the ground running and were contributing within a fortnight. We also signed on with Centrelink, refused the concession card but accepted the benefit for the kids. Just as we had in the UK.

 

I think it is wrong to justify claiming on the grounds we have all paid so much to get here. Australia owes us nothing. Call me cynical but surely most of us emigrate for a better life for our families not because we want to help Australia lol!

 

Sooo, think I agree with everyone!

Don't judge a person purely on how their a post might seem. Australia owes us migrants bugger all. Centrelink is there to help. Medicare is a no-brainer.

 

lC

[Guest Adelaide_bound]

At the risk of getting in the firing line - can anyone explain what CentreLink covers please? We haven't looked into is as a) we don't currently have children yet b) we didn't think we were entitled to (and never expected anything at any rate) any benefits of any sort for at least 2 years after we had arrived.

 

However if Centrelink cover any other services, or give another form of ID, it may be helpful to know for people like us - not really sure what to ask if they cover something, as mainly asking for things we haven't thought of at all really

 

Cheers guys

[Misplaced]

At the risk of getting in the firing line - can anyone explain what CentreLink covers please? We haven't looked into is as a) we don't currently have children yet b) we didn't think we were entitled to (and never expected anything at any rate) any benefits of any sort for at least 2 years after we had arrived.

 

However if Centrelink cover any other services, or give another form of ID, it may be helpful to know for people like us - not really sure what to ask if they cover something, as mainly asking for things we haven't thought of at all really

 

Cheers guys

 

I'll stand next to you in the firing line as I think what you have asked is quite reasonable and fair........................but maybe not to those who live in Grange:tongue:..............................have i just ducked a bullet?

[chrisfen46]

I don't want to get into a slagging match everybody has their own views, Grange isn't expensive by the way $390 a week we pay thought that was about average.

And some views are best kept to yourself ...

[bruce n sheila]

It all depends upon what visa you have, what you projected income is. We registered and were told we couldn't claim the family allowance equivalent as my estimated earnings were to be over the limit, but at the end of the year, if you haven't earnt the full amount I am told you can claim it back.

Whilst not wanting to upset or offend anyone because financially everyone is different and your own financies are your own business but when we all applied for our visas did we not have to declare the assets and cash equivalent of money we would bring to australia. And if my old memory is good for a family of four you needed at least 40 k sterling.

[Guest Adelaide_bound]

Just wanted to clarify I was wondering what sort of things Centre Link do (ie do they just do benefits? Or even if you aren't eligible for any benefits, is it a form of card ID that you can use when signing up for a library or something for eg....) rather than finding out if we could get any benefits - just re-read my post and not sure if I made myself muddled or not lol.

Cheers

[weecookie]

A word of caution to anyone "expecting" to get centrelink payments when they arrive here. it is not a given right. we have been here a year and hubby has not been able to get a job yet. We came here with $60,000 savings which have now gone due to all the start up costs associated with emigrating etc. We have applied 3 times for assistance and been refused every time. we have 2 school aged children and so I now work 1 full time job and 4 part time jobs to make ends meet. This is purely my personal experience and i am aware other people have been more successful in getting assistance but no-one should come here and depend on getting it to help them.