[Greens-Media] Budget cuts threaten access to Centrelink services

[Redman, Chris (Sen R. Siewert)]

21 Feb 2014

Budget cuts threaten access to Centrelink services 


The Australian Greens said today that federal budget cuts had the potential to further reduce access to Centrelink services and make people more vulnerable to incorrect payments or income support debts.

“The best way to ensure people are getting the right payments and support they need is to make sure they get the best quality information and access to services,” Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens spokesperson on families and community services said today.

“Government cuts, like offloading Centrelink responsibilities to the post office and letting staffing levels within the Department of Human Services reduce through natural attrition, will make it harder for people to access services.

“Anyone who’s dealt with Centrelink will be able to tell you stories about the problems they’ve had. In seven months of the last financial year, more than 50,000 calls per month to Centrelink’s family and parenting line took more than 30 minutes to be answered. One month the number waiting for more than 30 minutes went as high as 265,000.

“Rather than trying to cut services, the Government should be looking at how to better utilise existing money and resources.

“The tip-off line is a good example. Centrelink received more than 50,000 phone tip offs last year, but despite this volume of calls, the department has been unable to provide more specific information about this service, including basic issues like the number of vexatious calls being made, how many staff were working on the line or how much money was recouped as a result of its services.  They can not assess whether this is an effective use of precious resources. 

“Checks and balances are essential to ensure our system is working properly, but I’m concerned that the resources being invested in this area would be better spent on the front line, making sure people get the accurate information that helps them avoid payment errors in the first place.

“Reducing staff numbers or outsourcing services to other agencies is likely to make it harder for people to access the accurate and timely information they need to get the correct payments and avoid debts,” Senator Siewert concluded.