Centrelink accessing bank statements

Hi
I was investigated by Centrelink as they didn’t believe I was not in a relationship. Although I have been cleared and I was not hiding anything I just wanted to know by law if Centrelink have the power to get your bank statements and that of my kids father without a court order or my consent?

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25 Replies

That sounds odd. Usually you need to give contact details of a friend or two who can verify that you are not living with someone you are in a relationship with. I think I had to submit bank statements that showed my current account balances when I applied for single parent payment, but that was 13 years ago so I have no idea if that would still be needed. I wouldn’t have thought they would be able to access bank statements without you supplying them or your written permission to contact your bank to get them.

I've had to supply bank statements when I first returned to work to prove what I was earning was accurate as they had been given a "tip off" that I was getting more then I declare!

Do you mean by you providing them or Centrelink accessing them without your consent?

They can ask for them but they cannot access them without your permission.

They can require you to provide bank statements but no one can access your bank account without a court order. I doubt they'd bother, just threaten you with a debt or fraud charge & stop payments if you refuse.

I got asked a few years ago to verify friends weren't living together so that's more likely. Clink wanted more info on my situation than on the couple involved, including my financial info! I wasn't receiving any Clink benefits either. I refused, obviously. Their system is ridiculous!!

Thanks for your reply. They didn’t ask for my statements they went and did it themselves.
They questioned me and and tried to ‘link’ silly things. But it all worked out.

Ask them to show where in their policies it says they can access your bank statements without your permission. I’m surprised that your bank would have given them access without your permission. Government agencies can cross check your details (Centrelink, ATO, CSA, job active) but banks are not government agencies so cannot share your info other than interest earned on your account for tax purposes. Also speak to your bank for their policies on sharing your info.

Thanks for your reply. They didn’t ask for my statements they went and did it themselves.
They questioned me and and tried to ‘link’ silly things. But it all worked out.

Thanks for your reply. They didn’t ask for my statements they went and did it themselves.
They questioned me and and tried to ‘link’ silly things. But it all worked out.

If you have nothing to hide there shouldn’t be an issue with you giving them your honest to look through you bank statements

Couldn't agree with you more. People hand over account details to get the money but don't want to prove they are entitled to it.

Everyone is entitled to it, if and when they need it.

Yes they are, I never said they weren't. Your circumstances depict what your entitled to and that's what Centrelink would be looking at when requesting copies of bank statements. My statement referred to people are quick to hand over all their personal details when applying for payments but when questioned about their circumstances then want to pick and choose what personal information they will allow them to look at.
As the poster above me said - if you have nothing to hide, why wouldn't you?

I don’t have anything to hide. What im asking is if they can just go through my bank account and that of the kids father. They did not ask for bank statements they apparently have done it all themselves.

Well if they believe you are both committing fraud, I’m sure they would do anything in their power to prove it. They must have very good reason to believe you are lying to go to this amount of effort to prove it

Did you not read the part where I was cleared? Where they found nothing? So no I wasn’t committing fraud. Perhaps read the question instead of being so rude.

I’m in no way being rude. You have been cleared but if they are looking again then more evidence has come to light or a tip off has come in to make them doubt your honesty.

Whether they suspect something or not, they have no right to access her bank statements without her permission. And it’s just as concerning that her bank would hand over her personal information without permission.

They aren’t looking again. They did when they were investigating

Why? What's on your bank statements that you dont want Centrelink to see?

Nothing is on there that I don’t want them to see. They have accessed my bank account and that of the kids father. I wanted to know if this was legal.

Nothing is on there that I don’t want them to see. They have accessed my bank account and that of the kids father. I wanted to know if this was legal.

I have never heard of anything like this in my life. Go higher up and ask Centrelink management about how and why they did this. They have to be telling a few Porkies. Ask them to show you the Statements and the name of the desk officer who got your bank details. I'd be going further. This is a massive breech of personal information they have seeked out without your consent.

However, i do know that even if you give them one of your bank statements, even if its from the past, they can link and match it on the system to any other bank account in your name, as it comes up automatically. I've seen this with my own eyes . It all comes up on their system. However, just the fact that you have extra bank accounts do come up, not the itemised statement itself.