Media Release by The Hon Jenny Macklin MP

Celebrating 20 Years of Helping Australians Prepare for Retirement

Joint Media Release with:

  • Chris Bowen MP, Minister for Human Services and Minister for Financial Services Superannuation and Corporate Law

Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, Jenny Macklin MP, and Minister for Human Services, Financial Services, Superannuation and Corporate Law, Chris Bowen MP, today congratulated the Centrelink Financial Information Service (FIS) for 20 years of helping Australians achieve a better standard of living in retirement.

‘Since this free service began in November 1989, it has provided non-biased information about financial strategies and products to around six million Australians to help them maximise their income in retirement,’ Ms Macklin said.

‘FIS staff also played an important role in the rollout of the Government’s Secure and Sustainable Pension Reform on 20 September this year, holding more than 490 seminars for 13,400 people to explain the changes to the pension.’

Over the past 20 years, FIS staff have held 1.3 million appointments with customers, provided 87,000 hours of outreach to the community, handled 3.5 million phone calls and met 1.1 million people at FIS seminars across the country.

‘Australians retiring today are more likely than ever before to receive income from other sources than the Age Pension, such as employment or investments, so it’s essential that they get advice on how to manage complex financial arrangements,’ Mr Bowen said.

‘Centrelink’s Financial Information Service also caters for younger Australians, with more than half a million people aged under 55 attending a FIS seminar to improve their financial literacy in the past 20 years.’

For more information about the Financial Information Service or Pension Reform changes, phone Centrelink on 132 300 or visit Centrelink.