14 Glenorchy Gazette AUGUST 2021
Community News
New website to better connect Tasmanians with local community services and support
From left, Strong Families, Safe Kids Advice and Referral Line NGO manager Rachel hales, CatholicCare Tasmania business systems and development general manager David Sakko, Anglicare Tasmania housing and community services contract compliance and business development manager Marnie Bower, Mission Australia Tasmania regional leader Jurek Stopczynski, TasCOSS FindHelpTAS project officer Leah Cleary, TasCOSS community sector development manager Simone Zell, Hobart City Mission chief executive officer John Stubley, The Salvation Army Tasmania public relations officer Major Brad Watson, Colony 47 housing solutions practice manager Bella Fountain, Relationships Australia Tasmania chief executive officer Michael Kelly, Uniting Tasmania executive officer Jeremy Pettet, and TasCOSS chief executive officer Adrienne Picone.
A PARTNERSHIP of community services organisations have banded together to launch Tasmania’s most up-to-date and comprehensive online community service directory.
The new FindHelpTas website provides a central, free, online directory of services that support the health and wellbeing of Tasmania’s communities, offering the ability to search for services ranging from
LGBTIQ+ specialist services to emergency accommodation through to drug rehabilitation support and family violence counselling. Hobart City Mission chief executive officer John Stubley said the
HOBART EYE SURGEONS have acquired
TASMANIAN EYE CLINICS We are very excited to announce that Hobart Eye Surgeons has now acquired Tasmanian Eye Clinics. We would like to take the opportunity to thank you for your loyalty, and we will do our very best to maintain your relationship with Hobart Eye Surgeons through improvements in service, value and medical eye care. We will continue to provide healthcare for the previous patients of Tasmanian Eye Clinics, including patients of Dr Wise. All medical records will be kept on file. We now are able to offer four convenient locations at Hobart, Rosny, Kingston, and Glenorchy. If you have any queries please contact our friendly staff on 6210 6000.
eyesurgeons.com.au
pandemic really proved how vital it was that Tasmanians could easily find the community services they needed, and access them in a way that suited them. “Over the past 12 months, the industry and our partners sought information on emergency relief services and food relief in growing numbers,” he said. “This has resulted in many new linkages and collaborations being forged.” “FindHelpTAS is
for everyone – from individuals and carers through to community service providers and GPs – and features service listings from 400 community service organisations across the state with the database of services growing every day. “It’s important that we have all the incredible support options available in this state in one place. “FindHelpTAS’s new website includes better search filters and more than 900 up-to-date
services listings.” TasCOSS chief executive officer Adrienne Picone said FindHelpTAS was designed with the user in mind. “We really focused on making the site and resources functional and easy to access so Tasmanians could find the support they need – whether it’s online, over the phone or in their local community,” she said. “The new FindHelpTAS website has an easy-to-
navigate interface that works on any device and the ability to search in your council area, region, suburb or postcode with the handy map. “Printed directories are also available for community members who are unable to access their information via the internet.” FindHelpTAS is a self-funded community initiative led by a partnership of Tasmanian community service organisations, supported by TasCOSS.
A FINANCIAL MOMENT
Family Payment Balancing Hank Jongen General Manager Services Australia IT’S that time of year again. As the door opens to a new financial year, tax time brings with it a flurry of activity. Many families who get Family Tax Benefit and Child Care Subsidy know Services Australia will balance family payments during this period. However, if this is your first year getting a family payment, this may be the first time you’re hearing about ‘balancing’. There are currently more than two million Australian families receiving Family Tax Benefit, Child Care Subsidy or both, and these payments are
balanced each financial year. This is where we assess your estimated family income against your actual income to confirm what you were entitled to. This is to check we paid you the right amount for your circumstances. When we balance your payments, if we find you were paid less than you were entitled to, we’ll pay you a ‘top-up’. If you were paid more than you were eligible for, you’ll need to pay it back. If you’re in this situation, don’t worry – we’re here to help. You won’t have to pay it all back at once. Most people repay the money over time and we will work with
you to find a repayment plan that suits your circumstances. For most families, we confirm your income when you lodge a tax return. If you don’t need to lodge a tax return, you’ll need to let us know (even if you’ve already told the Australian Tax Office). You can do this through your Centrelink online account through myGov or Express Plus Centrelink mobile app. If you can’t use our online options, you can call the families line on 136 150. It’s open Monday to Friday between 8am and 8pm. For families receiving Family Tax Benefit, balancing commenced in mid-July after people
received their final payment for the financial year. We’ll then start balancing Child Care Subsidy payments from mid-August. This is because we have to wait until your childcare provider sends us your family’s final attendance record for the year. You don’t need to call us to find out where your balancing is up to. Once balancing has started, you can track this through the Express Plus Centrelink mobile app. Once we’ve finished balancing your payments, we’ll write to you with the outcome. For more information about this process, visit the Services Australia website and search “payment balancing”.
