Anglicare has released a report today finding that the Government’s digitisation and automation of Centrelink is making it more for Australians to access Centrelink.
Over the past year, the Government has attempted to shift more people to managing their Centrelink matters online.
But this transition has not been easy for older Australians and vulnerable Australians.
Many are finding Centrelink’s online platform difficult to navigate.
People are attending Centrelink in person or phoning Centrelink because the online platform is simply not easy to use.
But people who attend in person are being redirected online or redirected to the phones, and again forced to endure long wait times.
It’s a vicious cycle of vulnerable Australians being forced to the edge of their bank accounts while they wait for, or simply not receive their payments at all.
Labor welcomes the transition of services online, so long as it remains accessible for vulnerable Australians.
But it shouldn’t mean that we neglect in-person and phone services.
It should also involve providing vulnerable Australians with the support necessary to learn to navigate the online system.
The Turnbull Government has demonstrated time and again that it is only interested in making the claiming of income support so difficult and frightening in the hope people just give up.
PHONE SERVICES
This year, the number of busy signals for older Australians using the age pension phone line is projected to increase from 800,000 to 1.2 million.
Centrelink call wait times have blown out for older Australians, students, and families and parents.
CALL WAIT TIME INCREASES
Payment type 2016-17 2017-18 as at 31 March
Older Australians 18 minutes and 59 seconds 23 minutes and 1 second
Students 31 minutes and 15 seconds 35 minutes and 0 seconds
Families 16 minutes and 19 seconds 21 minutes and 12 seconds
The reality is these are just averages. We know of stories where people have had to wait for many hours just to speak to someone.
PROCESSING TIMES
Age pension and carers payment median processing times by Centrelink have dramatically increased.
PROCESSING TIME INCREASES
Payment type 2016-17 2017-18 as at 31 March
Age pension 36 days 49 days
Carers payments 28 days 47 days
The median times data does not take into account instances when Centrelink requests further information, which can further delay the approval process.
In reality, pensioners are waiting for many more months for their age pension.
MONDAY, 25 JUNE 2018