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How Australia’s welfare system fits together

Australia’s support system is a network of Commonwealth payments, health programmes, disability supports, state and territory schemes, workplace systems, superannuation and international coordination.

Commonwealth income support and pensions

Services Australia administers Centrelink payments such as Age Pension, Disability Support Pension, JobSeeker, Parenting Payment, Youth Allowance and Carer Payment. Each payment has its own residence, age, family, medical, income or assets tests.

Health is a separate layer

Medicare and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme reduce health and medicine costs. They are not Centrelink income-support payments and use different eligibility, billing and safety-net rules.

Disability support is not one programme

The NDIS funds eligible disability supports through a separate scheme. NDIS access does not automatically create Centrelink entitlement, and Centrelink entitlement does not automatically create NDIS access.

State and territory systems matter

Housing, concessions, workers compensation, transport and other supports may be administered by state or territory schemes. Compass keeps jurisdiction visible because the responsible authority can change by location.

Sources and further reading