Objections, complaints and reviews– your rights following CSA decisions

If you do not agree with a decision made by the Child Support Agency (CSA), you may have the right to have the decision reconsidered. This fact sheet provides information on:

Objecting to CSA decisions


What should you do first?

Most CSA decisions are formally advised to customers in writing. First, you should read any letter and attachments carefully. If you are not sure about the contents or think the information may be wrong contact a CSA Customer Service Officer on 131 272*. This gives you and CSA a chance to discuss any misunderstandings.

The Customer Service Officer can also provide information about the objections process and your appeal rights if you disagree with the objection decision.

What is an objection?

An objection is a request to CSA to formally review a decision. You may wish to object if you believe CSA has:

Decisions you can object to

You are able to object to most CSA decisions. For example, you can object to CSA’s decision:

For a full list of CSA decisions you can object to, visit the website www.csa.gov.au (search for ‘objections’), or call 131 272*.

Decisions you cannot object to

There are a number of CSA decisions that you cannot object to. The main ones are:

How to object

You must send a letter or email that explains why you object and asks CSA to review the decision.

It’s a good idea to check the full list of decisions you can object to at www.csa.gov.au before you start, or call us on 131 272* to discuss your options.

Your objection should include the following information:

To email your objection to CSA, go to the CSA website, www.csa.gov.au, click on the link ‘Contact’ then ‘Enquire online’ and complete the online form.

Remember to include your case number and daytime telephone number and a Customer Service Officer will contact you within 28 days to discuss your objection.

Or you can post your objection to the CSA at GPO Box 9815, in your capital city, or check your decision letter or the CSA website for our postal address.

IMPORTANT: The CSA is required by law to pass on all information relevant to the objection to the other parent. This means—apart from your address and phone number—your objection letter or email and evidence you have supplied which is relevant to your objection will be sent to the other parent.

Timeframe

You have 28 days to object from the date the CSA’s letter advising you of the decision was delivered to your address. If you live overseas in a reciprocating jurisdiction, you have 90 days to object. Applications received outside of these timeframes are not valid and cannot be considered. If you want to object after this period, you must also make a request for an extension of time explaining why you were unable to object within 28 days (or 90 days for international cases), and provide supporting documentation if appropriate. You can make the request for an extension of time in writing, or by telephone to 131 272*.

If the CSA refuses your request for an extension of time to object, you can appeal this decision to the Social Security Appeals Tribunal (SSAT).

After you object to a CSA decision

A dedicated Objections Officer will handle your objection. This Officer will:

While your objection is being considered, the original decision will still apply. During this time, you may be contacted by the CSA for more information or clarification. You can also contact the Objections Officer handling your objection for information about the process and what is happening with your objection.

The other parent’s response

The CSA will write to the other parent and send them a copy of your objection letter and any additional evidence you have supplied which is relevant to the objection decision. The other parent has the opportunity to respond and provide their own documents and evidence. The other parent has 28 days to respond (90 days if they live overseas in a reciprocating jurisdiction). If they do not respond within these timeframes, their response may not be considered. They may provide their own information and documents to CSA, and copies of these documents may be provided to you.

An Objections Officer will discuss the response and evidence with you, if it is relevant to the decision.

Objection decision

The CSA will make a decision about your objection within 60 days. This is to allow the Objections Officer time to consider the evidence and discuss the objection with both parents. If one parent resides overseas, this may take up to 120 days. In most cases, an Objections Officer will attempt to call you and the other parent, and advise you of the proposed objection decision.

Once the decision is made, you will be advised in writing if the objection is allowed, partly allowed or disallowed. The CSA will amend your child support records and/or assessment if necessary and confirm this in writing.

If you don’t agree with the objection decision

You may be able to appeal to the Social Security Appeals Tribunal, the Administrative Appeals Tribunal or a court.

Appealing a CSA decision



Social Security Appeals Tribunal

The Social Security Appeals Tribunal (SSAT) is an independent tribunal which is able to review most objection decisions made by the CSA. It aims to provide a fair, just, economical and informal review service to parents. Because the SSAT is completely independent, the CSA can only be involved in the SSAT process by providing documents relevant to the objection decision being reviewed, or attending hearings if required. The CSA cannot help you prepare your SSAT appeal.

The SSAT can affirm, vary or set the CSA decision aside and substitute a new decision, or send the matter back to the CSA for reconsideration in accordance with any directions or recommendations of the SSAT.

How does the SSAT work?

IMPORTANT: If you or the other parent appeals to the Social Security Appeals Tribunal (SSAT), the CSA is required to provide all the information that is relevant to the decision to the SSAT for review. The CSA is also required to provide this information to both parents. This could include information you provided to the CSA before an objection was lodged.

Decisions that the SSAT cannot review

The SSAT cannot review an objection decision about a Change of Assessment where the CSA has decided that the issues raised by the application are too complex and should be referred to the courts. In these cases, parents must apply to a court to change the assessment.

The SSAT cannot review decisions made before 1 January 2007. These decisions can be reviewed subject to an application to the courts.

How to apply to the SSAT



Important: Before applying to the SSAT, one parent must have already objected to a CSA decision and received a decision on that objection.

  • Contact the SSAT on 1800 011 140 or visit www.ssat.gov.au.
  • Print out an appeal form from the SSAT website www.ssat.gov.au or fill out a form at your local CSA or Centrelink office.
  • Or write to the SSAT at GPO Box 9943, in your capital city.

Timeframe

You must apply to the SSAT for a review within 28 days of receiving the CSA’s objection decision. If you live overseas in a reciprocating jurisdiction, you have 90 days to apply.

If you do not apply within 28 days, you may write to the SSAT requesting an extension of time. You cannot apply for this extension over the phone. If the SSAT refuses to grant an extension of time, you may lodge an appeal with the Administrative Appeals Tribunal to review the decision not to grant extra time.

Further appeal

If you do not agree with the SSAT decision, you can usually appeal to a court but only on a question of law. A question of law is how the law or legal principle was applied to the facts of the case or whether the process was legally correct. In other words, you cannot apply to a court if you simply disagree with the decision. You may wish to seek further legal advice about questions of law if you are considering appealing a SSAT decision.

If you are dissatisfied with a SSAT decision in relation to the percentage of care for a child, you may apply to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal for a review of the decision.

More information

To get an SSAT appeal form or for more information call 1800 011 140, visit www.ssat.gov.au, or write to GPO Box 9943, in your capital city.

Publishing SSAT decisions

To help you understand how decisions are made on child support issues, a sample of decisions made by the SSAT are published on the Australasian Legal Information Institute website www.austlii.edu.au. All personal details of people involved in these cases are removed to protect their privacy.

These published decisions may help to show you how the SSAT process works and the sort of information the SSAT may take into account when considering an appeal. The SSAT’s decisions in relation to child support matters show how the child support legislation applies to the individual circumstances of the case being decided.

Administrative Appeals Tribunal and the courts

You can apply to have some decisions reviewed by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT). The AAT reviews a broad range of administrative decisions made by Government agencies. The AAT can only review a limited number of decisions about child support.

For more information on which decisions the AAT can review and how to apply to the AAT, call 1300 366 700 or visit www.aat.gov.au.

You can also take a matter to court in certain circumstances. Before applying to a court, you should obtain legal advice. For a full list of matters a court may hear, or for more information, visit the Family Law Courts website www.familylawcourts.gov.au.

Using CSA’s complaints process

The CSA aims to provide excellent customer service. However, if you are not satisfied with the service the CSA has provided you can make a complaint. Your experience can help us improve our service to you and to others.

In most circumstances, the complaints process will not change a decision made in your case. Asking us to review a child support decision that you think is wrong (or objecting) is different from making a complaint about the service you have received. However, a CSA Customer Service Officer can advise you of your objection rights.

If you would like to make a complaint you should follow these steps:

Step One: Contact CSA on 131 272* and speak to a Customer Service Officer. They will try to solve the problem or let you know if you can object to a CSA decision.
Step Two: If you are still not satisfied, you may ask to speak to the Customer Service Officer’s Team Leader.
Step Three: If you are still not satisfied, call CSA’s Complaints Service on 132 919 and speak to a Complaints Resolution Officer who will take a fresh look at the facts of your case and your complaint.

Commonwealth Ombudsman

If you have been unable to resolve a complaint with the CSA you may wish to contact the Commonwealth Ombudsman. The Commonwealth Ombudsman can consider and investigate complaints from people who believe they have been treated unfairly or unreasonably by an Australian Government department or agency.

Call 1300 362 072 or visit www.ombudsman.gov.au

Useful contacts



Child Support Agency Phone 131 272* www.csa.gov.au
CSA Complaints Service Phone 132 919  
Social Security Appeals Tribunal Phone 1800 011 140 www.ssat.gov.au
Administrative Appeals Tribunal Phone 1300 366 700 www.aat.gov.au
Legal Aid   www.nla.aust.net.au
Family Relationship Advice Line Phone 1800 050 321 www.familyrelationships.gov.au
Family Law Courts Phone 1300 352 000 www.familylawcourts.gov.au
National Association of Community Legal Centres   www.naclc.org.au
Commonwealth Ombudsman Phone 1300 362 072 www.ombudsman.gov.au
Office of the Privacy Commissioner Phone 1300 363 992 www.privacy.gov.au

CSA 1313.10.09

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