Medicare, Centrelink, coming to Bribie Island

Bribie Island residents will soon have face-to-face access to Federal Government services such as Medicare and Centrelink right on the island.

Longman Terry Young says Services Australia is working to establish an agent service on Bribie to provide self-serve facilities and trained staff for additional help.

“This will mean that residents in the area won’t have to travel to Caboolture to access government services such as Centrelink, Medicare and Child Support,” Mr Young says.

Great news for elderly

Bribie Island resident Ray Adams welcomes the news.

“It’s pleasing to see that we have a Federal Member who understands the demographic of the people living on this island,” Mr Adams says.

“We elderly people have needed this sort of thing on the island for a long time.

“I’m very happy that at last it is now going to happen.”

Finding a host

Mr Young says an expression of interest process will identify a host organisation and it is expected the agent will be available in the first half of the year.

Until then, Mr Young says Services Australia community engagement officers will continue to visit the Bribie Island Neighbourhood Centre in Bellara every Tuesday between 9.30 am and 11 am for appointments.

Services Australia general manager Hank Jongen says while agents were not agency staff, they receive extensive training and support to help people with access to self-serve facilities, certify proof of identity documents and access general information.

Connect with services

“Agents help people in regional, rural and remote communities to do their business with Services Australia and connect with the services they need, no matter where they live,” Mr Jongen says.

“Increasingly, customers are conducting their business with us online.

“The new Bribie Island agent service will help people use our digital services with confidence.”

Self-serve equipment

Mr Jongen says people visiting the agent will be able to use self-serve equipment such as internet-enabled computers, and phones to access government services, scan, print and upload documents.

They will also be able to receive advice about how to access the government assistance they need, and will continue to have access to the Caboolture Service.

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