bourbon-biscuit

I've been trying on-off for days to get through to the office as I can't take my form into the local office to be processed until we've registered by phone but they are *always* engaged and there's no queue system- just engaged tone!!! I'm calling 13 6150. Am I doing something wrong???

Stella340

Unfortunately, you just gotta stick it out.

I called them the other day on that number and got the busy engaged tone for about half an hour. I just set my phone on loudspeaker and kept pushing redial.

When I did get through I was then on hold in a queue for about 20 mins.

They were great when I finally got through though. But sorry, you probably don't want to hear you'll be on the phone for around 50 mins

Lucyx

jayr

Note that there is an increased volume of calls due to assistance being provided to bushfire victims and by people checking to see how much of the free money from the $42b package they will get.

comet555

Yes, I tried to get through to them for a day or two and kept getting the busy signal.

I eventually got through and waited about 5-10 minutes to get someone. I was calling about child care and when we were done I asked why the phones were so busy, and as jayr said it was everyone calling about the free money that's going out soon.

bourbon-biscuit

I finally got through, waited to speak to someone for about 10 mins, waded through with him for about 15mins before being told my husband would need to ring back and give all the details because my visa means I don't count. Joy. Can see him loving going through all that when he gets home at 6pm and the rest of Australia are calling the office about the free money. :curse:

homewardbound

first thing in the morning is best time to ring at 8am!

bourbon-biscuit

Thanks for that

Unfortunately he's behind his desk at that point so after work it'll have to be!

margy

Hi, We registered on line this morning (not an easy task admittedly) but then took visas, passports and rental schedule to the local medicare late morning and it's all going through. Tried the phone and it was constantly engaged, obviously they are busy guys.

Hope this helps.

M

Scrawni 2

They open at 8am and close at 8pm. I managed to get through at 8.05 no problem.

OBIBINI

Just to divert issues a little bit.Can somebody show me the way out as to how to get a new baby travelling doc. Myself and my wife are Ghanaians and on 457 visa here in Australia.Though have applied for permanent residency we have not been granted yet.We may be travelling outside with our new child in a couple of months so please need to know what to do.Please advice.

louie

Your baby won't be eligible for Aussie citizenship as you are not permanent residents, so I presume you will need to obtain a Ghanaian passport for him or her. Looks like you are going to have to have a trip to Canberra - http://www.ghanahighcom.org.au/passports.htm

bourbon-biscuit

Now I'm really confused- the family assistance office told me to wait for a letter to come through adn then for my husband to call them. So letter comes through from centrelinkbut the number to call them is only open until 5pm, but he works! I'm obviously getting confused or confusing someone- isn't centrelink for the dole or something? We want to claim family tax benefits- now been on hold to cetrelink for half an hour :curse:

bourbon-biscuit

Ah-ha! They sent the wrong letter!

ABCDiamond

Centrelink do all family benefits, unemployed, retirement etc etc.

Many of Centrelinks things can also be done at the family assistance office

eg:

and

bourbon-biscuit

Thank you ABC

It was confusing (and frustrating) because we were told to call them once we'd received a letter and the letter gave a number that was only operational mon-fri 8-5 and it HAS to be dh who calls (because of my crappy visa) and he works those hours and usually doesn't have time for lunch break (eats lunch driving to meetings/clients) let alone to be pressing redial for half an hour and then listen to 'easy listening' classical music in a phone queue! anyway, urgency is off as the letter said we had until march 5th, but this was, thankfully, incorrect.