The Australian government plans to change the Government EasyPay system through Centrelink on September 6, 2025. This modification is being made because the Reserve Bank of Australia plans to upgrade the card payment system Services Australia uses to improve security and reduce online payment fraud. For this reason, Centrelink recipients paying with credit or debit cards may need to follow new verification processes. They may need to enter a one-time code or personal information, particularly during their initial payments or when the payment amount is atypical.
Increased Security Protocols
The aim of the update makes it easier to enforce security measures on clients and the agency by ensuring a more secure payment processing system is used. This will include extra checks and authorizations like those used by banks, to which recipients should be ready for when paying. The types of accepted cards will remain unchanged.
Centrelink’s Payment Methods
Users may need to authorically verify their accounts through a coded text message or personal information for the first time with their card, or when the payment amount is significantly different from their normal payment. In as much as users will need to comply with new payment requirements, change users will not experience any change on the disbursement payment from Centrelink.
Vital Steps for Online Payment Security
Services Australia recommends that payment makers only engage with bona fide government portals like austr.gov.au and my.gov in addition to accessing them through myGov or the Express app. The government continues to emphasize the need to exercise extreme caution with payment-focused scams which are becoming increasingly sophisticated.
Government EasyPay Overhaul: Key Information
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Change Date | September 6, 2025 |
| Reason for Change | Upgrade by Reserve Bank of Australia to improve security and reduce online payment fraud |
| Affected System | Government EasyPay system via Centrelink |
| Security Updates | – New verification processes (one-time codes or personal info) – Extra checks and authorizations like banks |
| User Impact | – Verification required on first payment or for atypical payment amounts – No change in payment disbursement itself |
| Accepted Cards | No change in card types accepted |
| Security Recommendations | Use only official government portals (austr.gov.au, my.gov, myGov app, Express app); beware of scams |
| Other Government Use | Australian Taxation Office, Department of Treasury, Department of Defence (for tax installments, child support, FOI requests, etc.) |
Scope of Use of Government EasyPay
Apart from Centrelink, the Government EasyPay system is also utilized by the Australian Taxation Office, Department of Treasury, and Department of Defence for payment of tax installments, child support, and Freedom of Information requests, among other payments.