TFN

Tax file numbers are easy peasy, just click on the link below, and fill out the online form. It will take up to 6 weeks for you to receive you TFN in the mail but if you are starting work immediately it is no problem, as long as your employer knows you have applied for your tax file number and you are awaiting it. Make sure you apply for a TFN for all of your family, your children will need tax file numbers if you intend to claim family assistance for them. In Aussie your first $6000 you earn is tax free, so at the end of the year you can claim your tax back that you have paid on that first $6000, it usually works out to about $800. You can also claim back any out of pocket expenses for work out of your tax, eg shoes, uniform, tools, etc. even if you are not self employed.

http://www.ato.gov.au/individuals/content.asp?doc=/content/38760.htm

FAMILY ASSISTANCE AND RENT ASSISTANCE

Both of these will depend on how much you are earning and how many children you have. To give you a rough idea, earning around $44,000 with two children, you would be entitled to just over $400 per fortnight family assistance and around $124 a fortnight rent assistance. I have been told that you are only entitled to rent assistance if you are already receiving another payment through centrelink/family assistance (eg family assistance) Here is a link for the family assistance rate estimator if you want to try out what you would be enitled to :

https://secure.centrelink.gov.au/RateEstimatorsWeb/publicUserStart.do?OriginName=FAO

As soon as you arrive in Australia give the family assistance office a call on 136150 and let them know you are in the country and would like to claim family assistance. They will lodge an unofficial application and register you on the system which means once you complete all the official paperwork and it has all been processed and accepted, you will actually be backpaid to the date you phoned them. You will need to either go into your nearest family assistance office and pick up a form or print one from here: http://www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/internet.nsf/filestores/fa064_0707_2/$file/fa064_0707en_f.pdf Fill out the forms and make sure you take plenty of paperwork, yours and any childrens passports, and your TFN numbers (if you have them at that stage). As I mentioned earlier most medicare centres have joined with family assistance offices, so you will be able to apply for both at once (as long as you find a combined one)  Because you have all your medicare paperwork, you will have all the paperwork you need for your family assistance.

Here is something that is FANTASTIC, now, dont ask me why, because I wouldnt have a clue, but, I figure its part of the family assistance scheme they have going over here, As well as claiming 50% of your out of pocket childcare expenses back at the end of the financial tax year (or quarterly, whichever you prefer) (see 'kiddy winks' for more info) You also receive a payment of $600 per child, and $300 per family if you have 2 or more children! Great huh! so for an average 4 person family (2 kids) you will get $1200 for two kids, $300 for the family, $600 (ish) for preschool rebate (for an average 1 day a week per child payment) and $800 for tax back (with 1 person working) So will get almost $3000 back at the end of your tax year. If you have been overpaid any family assistance, the overpayment will just be taken out of this lump payment, which is reasurring to know! Its very rare that you get a bill at the end of tax year from centrelink. If you have any babies in Australia you also get the Baby Bonus here, which is currently changing to a fortnightly payment scheme, it works out to just on $5000.

You can phone the family assistance office from New Zealand on 0800 441 248 if you have any more specific questions.