The Child Support Agency (CSA) in Australia is part of Services Australia. You can contact Services Australia by phone or online to get information or assistance with child support matters.
To contact CSA by phone, call the Child Support general enquiries line on 131 272 from within Australia, or +61 3 6222 3455 from outside Australia. The line is open Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm (local time) except for national public holidays.
You can also contact CSA online through the myGov website.
If you need urgent assistance, you can also visit a Services Australia centre in person. Service centres are located across Australia. You can find your nearest one by using the service centre locator on the Services Australia website.
What Is 131272?
131272 is the Child Support Agency contact number.
Technically, 131 272 is a general enquiries phone number for Services Australia. Services Australia is the government agency responsible for administering the child support system in Australia.
By calling 131272, you can get information or assistance with child support matters, including making and tracking payments, updating your personal details, and getting help with disputes.
The line is open Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm (local time) except for national public holidays.
If you just want basic info, such as your next or last child support payment, there’s a 24/7 automated option when you call the general enquiries number.
How Do I Get Through to an Operator?
To get through to an operator when you call the child support line, you’ll need to follow the prompts provided by the automated system. The automated system will ask you questions to determine which service you need.
To speak to an operator, you can follow these steps:
- Call the child support general enquiries line on 131 272.
- When the automated system answers, listen to the options provided and select the one that best matches your needs.
- If you’re unable to find the service you need through the automated system, you can select the option to speak to an operator. You may need to wait on hold for a long time before being connected to an operator.
The child support line is open Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm (local time) except for national public holidays.
Because you may be waiting for a long time, you may want to put your phone on speaker and sit it down while you do something else. It’s also good to call at unusual times when they may be less busy. For example, it could be hard to get through on Monday morning or during lunchtimes.
How Do I Access Online CSA Services?
To access online services for child support in Australia, you will need to create a myGov account and link it to Child Support.
Here’s how to do it:
- Go to the myGov website (https://my.gov.au/) and click on the “Create a myGov account” button.
- Follow the prompts to create your myGov account. You will need to provide your personal details and create a username and password.
- Once you have created your myGov account, you will need to link it to Child Support.
Once you have linked your myGov account, you’ll be able to access a range of online services, including those related to child support. These services may include estimating income, making and tracking payments, updating your personal details, and getting help with disputes.
You can access these services by logging in to your myGov account and clicking on the “Child Support” button.
Services Australia
Services Australia is a government agency that provides a range of services to the Australian community, including social security, health, and child support services. It was formerly known as the Department of Human Services (DHS), but was rebranded as Services Australia in 2020.
Services Australia is responsible for administering a number of programs and services that support the needs of individuals, families, and communities in Australia. Some of the services provided by Services Australia include:
- Social security payments, such as the Age Pension, Disability Support Pension, and Carer Payment
- Health services, including the Medicare Benefits Scheme and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
- Child support services, including calculating and collecting child support payments and helping parents to come to agreements about child support
- Services for people with disability, including the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)
- Services for older Australians, including the Aged Care system
You can contact Services Australia by phone or online to get information or assistance with any of these services. You can also visit a Services Australia service centre in person, or use the online services available through the myGov website.
How CSA Became Services Australia
The Child Support Agency (CSA) was a government agency in Australia that was responsible for administering the child support system in Australia. The CSA was established in 1988 as part of the Child Support Scheme, which was introduced by the Australian Government to provide financial support to children whose parents were separated or divorced.
The CSA was responsible for calculating and collecting child support payments, as well as helping parents to come to agreements about child support. The CSA also provided a range of services to families and individuals, including information and assistance with child support matters, and mediation and dispute resolution services.
In 2018, the CSA was merged with the Department of Human Services (DHS) to form a new agency called Services Australia. After the merger, the DHS took over the responsibilities of the CSA and became responsible for administering the child support system in Australia. The DHS was rebranded as Services Australia in 2020.
Cyril keane
don’t they realise calling from overseas and putting you on hold and not answering after fifty minutes cost alot of money .this has happened three nights in a,row .we are not all tech savvy. your weeks wages gone just trying to contact from over seas and no answer
Dr Andrew Lancaster
You’re right. They should get with the times and offer a solution for contacting CSA from overseas. A chat service would help. They don’t like being easily contacted since it would increase their workload. They would also need to update their ancient systems.
david
After moving states the shared care become myself paying support.no issue with this. After speaking to case manager and explaining I had 7 weeks a yr care and paying all travel expenses, I was told the cut of for percentage of care was 52 days of care and told I had zero % of care. Fast forward to now and child has moved to me full time. Care is reverse and I’m still paying all travel. I have now been informed that I would only have 87% care not 100 because care is 48 to 51 days for 13%. When trying to explain to operator thus difference was told I shouldve of appealed the original rulling but hie can you appeal to something you were told was correct. I have now realised that not only have I been over charged support but cannot speak to anyone such as a case manager apparently it’s impossible.
Dr Andrew Lancaster
13% care is the same as 0% care for child support purposes. Either way, the care counts as nil and has no impact on payments. I think that is what is going on.
casey
CSA is the unfairest entity of the Australia government. how is it legal to force a deduction that leaves you with no ability to survive. My son is 17 not at school and works a fulltime job and is required to pay his mother rent. he is self sufficient, CSA told me that I can update his details yet it is impossible to do so.
my ex-wife is withholding my boys from me, she has alienated me and as an attempt to prevent me from seeing my boys, she falsified an affidavit and disconnected my phone, she then had a DV put in place and due to the Police not doing their job and trying to contact me by other means, they signed off on it.
what am I supposed to do? I can’t afford a solicitor, and I can’t wait for the public corrupt system to do their job.
Dr Andrew Lancaster
In terms of CSA, they only care about what the current care arrangements are. You can upload any evidence you have at my.gov.au. They don’t really care about the backstory, and can’t do much without some kind of evidence of your son’s independence.
James
I have now been on hold for 6 hours cant do what they want online is there no one that works there
Susan Hill
By calling 131272, you can get information or assistance with child support matters, including making and tracking payments, updating your personal details, and getting help with disputes.
The line is open Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm (local time) except for national public holidays.
but when you call it is not open until 08:30am
B R Sharma
The Child Support Agency (CSA) has proven to be the most challenging government entity I have encountered. Its approach lacks professionalism and often prioritizes dictation over providing courteous customer service. There appears to be a bias against separated parents, with an inclination to manipulate emotional circumstances. Currently, I have been unemployed for four months, and my spouse’s income barely covers our basic needs. I promptly notified Centrelink about my job status and my ongoing job search. Despite this, the CSA continues to issue new child support assessments and has deducted the owed amount from my tax return, even though I have been without employment during this period. This situation is unjust; it is inappropriate to demand payments from a father who is currently jobless when my child receives adequate support from my previous partner. Reform of this agency is urgently required. It is unacceptable to extract funds from a father who is struggling financially, especially when there are other means of support available for the child. The CSA’s tactics seem to exploit the emotional challenges faced by parents, and it is crucial to bring these practices to light through media exposure and social media channels.
Dr Andrew Lancaster
CSA does follow procedural rules. If there’s a problem with your employment status being recognised, log into my.gov.au and go to Child Support (make sure this service is linked if you haven’t done so already). You can upload evidence of your employment status and submit an income estimate. If you haven’t done these things, do so as soon as possible.
It’s up to parents to notify CSA of changes in circumstances. Often, the date you notify them is the earliest they will adjust payments from.
Mick
Shocking organisation to deal with – might be on the worst to be honest. Absolutely appalling customer service, every time I get through an operator after waiting for 30-40 minutes, they seem to “brush you off” with change of care info I supply or inquiry I make . No care factor!
Have had daughter in full time care for quite some time but they keep sending updated Child Support Assessment every few days that states that ex has full time/100% care and that I require to pay full Child Support! The system needs an absolute overhaul as it favours female gender and men don’t get heard enough!
Andrew Lancaster (admin)
You probably already did this but will make a general comment that parents can upload a document or submit a form to establish that you have taken action. They don’t usually do backdating for payers and an electronic record is reliable and can’t be disputed. Things always need to be done early to avoid financial costs. If you have done this, they should eventually sort it out and their admin delays won’t matter financially for you.
Grandma
How can child support be paid to a mother when the child is living with grandparents?
Andrew Lancaster (admin)
The mother is effectively supporting the child(ren) during her care time, albeit with massive help from the grandparents. That’s why she gets the money. It has to go to parents or legal guardians.
If the grandparents want child support, they can ask the mother (i.e., their daughter, I presume) for compensation. Alternatively, they can apply for legal guardianship through the Family Court, which potentially would allow them to receive child support directly from the father.
Serena
what would be the reason CSA third party (where the funds are being held) would withhold funds and not deposit the payments into the receving parents account? According to the website it should be paid on the 8th of each month or around that date. It’s now been 8 days over. Is the system down? Because of this, my teenaged child doesn’t receive her monthly allowance, which has helped support her particular needs. Her father and i are on good terms so we have also decided to go private collection due to the fact CSA are behind in depositing the funds. As for the arrears, why can’t we collect privately compared to CSA collection? Paying parents are given an amount of what they need to pay weekly, fortnightly or monthly, so why can’t the arrears be done the same way? How is there a debt of the receiving parent if arrears are not collected via CSA? That part makes no sense to me. Thanks kindly in advance for answers.
Andrew Lancaster (admin)
Must say that I find your attitude lazy and demanding. I appreciate that most people who ask questions usually do some research first and then ask a specific question that they haven’t found a good answer for.
CSA normally make payments on time. It could be their fault, or one of the parties involved here (probably the latter). How do you expect me to know?
No-one should count on child support to survive from month to month anyway. It’s not a salary.
They don’t have arrangements for private arrears collection because it is administratively complex. How do you suggest they organise for this to happen and be documented? In these circumstances, the parent who owes money should just make amends via a simple payment to CSA. Get a zero balance with them and then the parents can handle all future payments privately.
Joe
child support agency is nothing but a lowlife nazi organisation , destroying men life’s for years . society wonders why there’s so much domestic violence . umm maybe that’s because the system is all for the woman and just takes and takes from the men
Phil
What a waste of time.
CSA have our email address on file. Why can’t they just send an email? It’s 2024!
David
The automated phone system must have changed recently because now instead of being read a list of options to choose from, you are greeted by a useless robot which asks daft questions then repeatedly fails to understand the responses. Good luck keeping your sanity after wasting time going around in circles like that. Seems that they have made it harder to get through to a real person than ever before. it was already hard enough to call them due to my work environment anyway. I basically have to take time off work if I need to contact them and that’s even more frustrating now.
Andrew Lancaster (admin)
Sounds bad. Here’s a tip: Leave your phone on speaker when you call them and do other things while you wait for a response.
Sasa Sevo
How come CSA doesn’t have email contact or the possibility to chat or leave and take message system ?
Not everyone of us that pays Child support have the privilege to live in Australia and wait an hour on the phone before it’s answered?
Are we still on 19th century?
If I don’t know something, please enlighten me how can I contact CSA from overseas without costing me arm and a leg, and will be more useful to send it to my kids instead to phone corporations.
Thanks.
Andrew Lancaster (admin)
They would get overwhelmed with messages if people weren’t required to hang onto the phone for ages to make contact. They would prefer people to do as much as possible online through my.gov.au.
N
Would anyone know if the child support agency call centre is outsourced overseas
Andrew Lancaster (admin)
Is not outsourced as far as I’m aware. For most cases, you need a well-trained Australian to handle it.
Kerry-anne
Why is child support so messed up?
My eldest died, still had to pay even thou he passed. No payments came out for 2 months and now theyve just taken a big chaunk of my payments and because of you my other children can not attend their pre prep proghrams anymore, i have had to quit my minimal hour job to stay home. Thank you child support for ruining christmas and peoples lives
ash
This whole CSA is incredible .
As a father I paid my ex for 8 years and a few times in that 8 years I was behind in payments
So when that happened CSA rang my employer and started taking money from my pay packet every week until I caught up, which is fair enough.
Now the shoe is on the other foot , my 2 kids are with me full time and my ex partner has not paid me a cent in 7 months.
Now I tell CSA to go through her employer to start get paynents and nothing happening still.
I ring all the time to work it out and get no joy from them except excuses why my ex is not paying.
They CSA did not won’t to hear my excuses back then they just took my money.
The systems is wrong and never fair shame shame shame !!!
Andrew Lancaster (admin)
Well, they’re sexist. Generally, it’s mainly up to CSA to chase up debts, rather than the parent. They seem to pick and choose how far they go in each case.
Dazza
Child support is the reason I don’t even give my ex a crumb anymore. 2011 to 2013 we had an agreement I paid ex cash instead of child support. Then we agreed to go child support 2013. 10 years later my ex told child support she had my son 100% 2010 to 2014. Now they charge me $3000. Gotta call tomorrow and tell them about the car and loan and rego and insurance I pay for that should go towards child support. If they except it will be a lot more than $3000. Ex also got a federally employed friend to forge my signature on Centrelink form she submitted in June that said she had my son 100% since dec22. But then she tells child support she has my son 100% from oct22. I think someone is lying and done something fairly illegal. And trying to get backpay: I guess if ex is in jail for a max of 10 I get to see my boy a lot more. Silly woman.
Andrew Lancaster (admin)
It is normally the responsibility of the parent to inform CSA in a timely way if care circumstances change. I don’t understand how they could backdate in this case.
You can also gather your own evidence about care percentages. You can also write and sign a one-page affidavit where you affirm / swear to the facts here.
These are bureaucratic processes where rules are meant to be followed. I’d suggest you try to simplify the story about what has happened here to clarify the key facts and events. You can seek a review of any decisions made that you disagree with if you have relevant evidence to support your claims.
Steven Abbey-barnes
so I did a little overtime last financial year to be able to afford the rising cost of living so they bumped my child support up to a stupid amount, now work has died down and I’m barely scrapping by, way behind in everything except child support because they take it out of my pay before I even get it, systems cooked
Andrew Lancaster (admin)
In circumstances where your income has dropped compared to the previous financial year, you can over-ride the income setting by putting in an income estimate for 2023-24. You can do this online. Need to do it ASAP as they don’t backdate. Make it lower than what you expect because they have a strange calculation method for setting your new income. Have covered this previously.
an
need help with mental health
Andrew Lancaster (admin)
Not our area of expertise unfortunately. We try to support mental health by making child support more manageable and less frustrating.
Luke
The information, perspective, and context your site has provided has been instrumental in helping me navigate the complexities of our social services system during an incredibly difficult time. Thank you.
Andrew Lancaster (admin)
You’re welcome!
Father
The system is so broken, why doesn’t CSA and the family court link together. My situation is my son is 7 3/4 years old and I separated from his mother when he was 2. I’ve never missed or been short on my child support payments even with periods of months going without seeing him. After taking out a dvo against her in 2019 and having court orders made in 2020 and then after 31 contraventions taking it back to court in April where she was put on a 2 year bond and ordered to pay $6k of my over $20k legal costs (which I could only afford after borrowing money from family). Prior to court this year she got CSA to make me pay 100% care to her for 7 months and after appealing the decision with AAT and winning the 7 months of extra payments just becomes a little bonus for her as this is not credited or made to be paid back to me. She is now continuing to breach court orders and hasn’t paid a cent of the $6k back to me my only option is to go back to court (which I can’t afford) as she is threatening to make me pay 100% again. I work but with cost of living my child support going up again as she does the dodgy saying she only earns $27k a year, I’m left with $30 a fortnight after expenses. The system is so broken
Andrew Lancaster (admin)
Frustrating to say the least. You may want to emotionally detach from all this if you can and just make a quick, cold-blooded decision about what you are going to do in each situation. Given your experience, you may be surprised at your ability to do legal things without a lawyer.
Michelle Malki
I have 2 claims with you. 2 father’s. 6 children. Both father’s have hidden while I’ve raised their children without support. The first father was found after this 5 hildren had left home. he made an appeal based on the belief that 2 weren’t his.
you never even included me in on the appeal process! he just got pardoned. the 2 children in question DNA tested as his. why do you make it so easy for father’s to walk away free, after the children leave home?. I still had to pay for all his kids… I’m still squashed in the dirt over here from raising them. why do I not deserve to be repaid?
the last child is 18 this year. his father, who is in Israel, who also hasn’t supported his child, is no expressing interest in appealing his child support debt too… so he can come back to Australia to enjoy fatherhood now that I’ve almost finished the job…
I’ve been homeless with these children. I’ve had to pull us out of public housing and I’m still experiencing disadvantage due to raising 6 children by myself… will you let my last son walk away free too when he makes an appeal?
why isn’t the other parent involved in such a big decision about our lives? why aren’t we contacted to give our side. I received 6 payments that just stopped. you didn’t even contact me to say that it had been appealed. why is it OK for father’s to walk away free if they wait long enough???
Daniel
Is there an email address we can contact Child Support through. I am currently overseas and cannot access MyGov or phone.
Andrew Lancaster (admin)
No
Robyn
Not sure receiving parent comments are welcome here but I have a huge beef with the system. My ex is only assessed to pay $75 pf for the two teens that he can’t be bothered seeing. I’m on a good income but his low payment is solely because he can’t be bothered working. We did a property settlement last year. They gave him the larger percentage ‘because of his lower income earning capacity’ – they didn’t even give me any extra credit for the two teens. They left me with a large mortgage (despite me having a house before I met him and him having nothing). So basically, he fishes all day, lives off the $300k cash they gave him, can’t be bothered working and has no dependants to look after at all. Meanwhile, I pay $850pw on my mortgage, fully support two teens and can’t take a holiday or sick day because I dont’ get paid if I don’t work. Now he’s called the CSA and told them he only makes $7k per year and for some reason they’ve accepted that Provisional amount even though he has been on a full income support payment for 4 years. Great system we have….. not.
Andrew Lancaster (admin)
Comments from any kind of parent are welcome. We’re not playing politics other than pointing out ways to improve the system and outcomes for children and society.
Freeloaders tend to do well out of the system, as you’ve learned the hard way. His provisional income may be unimportant in this case however. A low income is a low income, whether it’s $7k or $17k. Any under-estimate of income will get erased anyway if and when he submits a tax return.
Trish
if I have a child who is 17 and now lives with his father who I pay child support to do I have to wait for his tax to be reconciled through child support before my tax refund can be completed?
Andrew Lancaster (admin)
No. They should process your tax return quickly. If you owe any child support at the time, CSA will take it out of any refund.
Child support
hello everyone, I have concern about the father of my son, I born my son u in the Philippines by that time the father can’t go to the Philippines to sign the live birth of my son, and now we broke up and his support is 26 aud a week is it enough? for the child support? just ask and want some get idea about it. thanks and advance
Andrew Lancaster (admin)
26 AUD a week is very low, even if a parent has little income.
Josh
situation 50 50 I am the payee. I do my tax return before August. ex does on the 31 Mar and provides an estimate. This is leaving me with a debt as the original assessment is reassessed with a determination I should have paid more because her actual taxable is less. we are on good terms, and the focus is on the kids. my available pay is exhausted before the next pay day, I have no savings at all, pay medical bills for the kids. I am struggling and lost. the system of being lumped with a debt when I meet all my obligations
what should I do
Andrew Lancaster (admin)
For a start, you should put some money aside to handle unexpected events. Almost anyone with a job who complains about having no money needs to look at their spending. That’s just the truth.
CSA are also open to people agreeing to terms for repaying debt. Their debt people are happy to waive penalties and fees normally if the parent with a debt gives an undertaking to pay it off.
Lisa Hammermeister
The father of my 2 children has gone from unemployed to working FIFO in Western Australiam I can’t find out where he works but his mother knows. I am in NT where single parents get put on Newstartbinstead of single parents.Therefore I loose concessions like other states. Rego for thhe car. .Medical ,electricity etc. why do I have to find his work details Ito get the child support payment. what does it mean by reconciled amount? my 2 kids are teenagers and expenses are getting more. can’t his mother be obliged to help her grandkids have a better life by making her son responsible in paying. my daughter 10 is being bullied at school for not having a Dad and wearing Kmart clothes and shoes.shecwasvtold by peers to FXxk kill herself. The school didn’t deal with it adequately as they don’t want a mark for having bullying t their school. I now have to take her and pay for counselling as she has been diagnosed as depression. it’s a struggle to pay for school camps? Justin Race keeps drinking his money away while my kids and I struggle. How is this fair
Andrew Lancaster (admin)
He will be required to pay substantial child support once he puts in his tax return. Payments will be calculated from 1 July based on his income for the previous financial year.
Pete Ladner
Child support is causing suicide of fathers due to the high amounts calculated and financially excluding fathers from seeing the children. They have to work more and always have been the 1 bread winner. The system is wrong and when you’ve got no money u can’t even afford a lawyer to get 50 50 custody. I’m at a loss of what to do.
Andrew Lancaster (admin)
The system to deal with family breakup is wrong. People without direct or indirect experience couldn’t imagine just how unjust it all is. They are merciless on fathers generally speaking. And child support is the final straw for some people, probably quite a high number. The only politician doing anything is Pauline Hanson. The others should hand their heads in shame for inaction or, in the case of the ALP / Greens, doing everything they can to push fathers to the brink.
Kay
My son was held in custody for 2 years, obviously he had no income, he verbally told Child Support he had no income. He was released from prison and did his tax returns, he had been told his debt was $1100, when he received his tax refund Child Support stole almost $10,000 from the tax return, this has left him with no money, he has no job and at risk of being homeless without his parents help.
Can Child Support review his situation and retrieve his money. They knew his situation as his last communication was a phone conference at the prison.
Andrew Lancaster (admin)
Don’t think there is anything you can do here. It looks like the Dept of Social Services recalculated his debts based on the submitted tax returns. They also intercepted tax refunds to pay off the debt, which they’re entitled to do.
Mark
Getting through to CSA on the phone can take ages. Prepare for a long wait.