WITH Christmas and New Year\u2019s holidays a time of respite for many, services and organisations in the region will be closed or have reduced operating times during the period.<\/p>\n
Medicare, Centrelink, and the Commonwealth Government\u2019s Child Support services centres as well as most phone lines will be closed from Monday 25 to Wednesday 27 December and again on Monday 1 January.<\/p>\n
Services Australia general manager Hank Jongen said customer reports or payments may arrive earlier than usual depending on the holidays but they\u2019ll arrive nonetheless.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf your regular reporting or payment date falls on a public holiday, it will be changed to the day beforehand,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s important to remember this is not an extra payment, it\u2019s your regular payment made early. You may need to budget carefully so this payment lasts until your next payment is due.\u201d<\/p>\n
Self-service options via online Centrelink and myGov accounts will continue to be accessible during the holidays.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can check if your reporting or payment date has changed using your Centrelink online account through myGov, or through the Express Plus Centrelink mobile app,\u201d Mr Jongen said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe myGov app, Express Plus app, and our phone self-service lines will be available 24\/7, so customers can still do what they need whenever it suits them\u201d.<\/p>\n
Critical Medicare services like PBS authorities and the Australian Organ Donor Register will also remain active during the holiday break.<\/p>\n
The majority of Golden Plains Shire services are now closed with customer hubs to reopen Tuesday 2 January.<\/p>\n
No waste collections will take place on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, with the service to instead be carried out one day later than usual for the beginning of that week including a Saturday collection.<\/p>\n
A full list of the municipal services\u2019 holiday operating hours can be found at the Golden Plains Shire website.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
WITH Christmas and New Year\u2019s holidays a time of respite for many, services and organisations in the region will be closed or have reduced operating times during the period. Medicare, Centrelink, and the Commonwealth Government\u2019s Child Support services centres as well as most phone lines will be closed from Monday 25 to Wednesday 27 December […]<\/p>\n