Yahoo Finance ‘Centrelink is broken’: Aussies vent over skyrocketing wait times
Services Australia wait times have blown up as more people seek help in the cost-of-living crisis.
Aussies seeking help from Services Australia have been hit with major Centrelink call centre wait times, with many saying enough is enough.
Average wait times have “skyrocketed” from 14 minutes and 14 seconds in 2021-22 to 20 minutes and 22 seconds this financial year, according to figures released by the Liberal Party.
But Aussies who rely on Centrelink services have said wait times can be much longer than that, with many taking to social media to complain.
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#centrelink saying there is a 30 min wait. Haha! It’s actually 3-4 hours and won’t help anyone no one is qualified! Have been waiting for help for 8 wks. Paid tax all our lives. This system is broken @servicesaustralia #centrelink
— Beccy (@Mumwifethenme) July 9, 2023
“Centrelink saying there is a 30 min wait. Haha! It’s actually 3-4 hours and won’t help anyone. No one is qualified! Have been waiting for help for 8 wks. Paid tax all our lives. This system is broken,” one Centrelink recipient said on Twitter.
“I worked for 16 years at Centrelink, including as a Review officer, in Policy & as a trainer for all benefits. Having to approach them for me or my kids terrifies me. More often than not I end up asking for help from our MP or I ask to speak to the manager. Centrelink is broken,” another said.
Calls for review into system
Shadow minister for government services Paul Fletcher demanded the Labor government carry out a review of Services Australia’s operations, to determine the reasons for the “worrying pattern” happening at Centrelink.
“This new data confirms that call wait times have skyrocketed under Labor. This is amid a cost-of-living crisis when Australians need government services and payments more than ever for support,” Fletcher said.
“The facts speak for themselves. In 2021-2022, under the Coalition, Centrelink handled over 55 million calls, which were answered within 14 minutes and 14 seconds on average.
“But in 2022-2023, call wait times have spiked by over 26 per cent under Labor, despite Centrelink only handling 25 million calls.”
The data revealed that Aussies calling Centrelink about the Child Care Subsidy, for example, were being stuck on hold for more than 27 minutes, on average. Fletcher said it was “simply unacceptable”.
“It’s particularly concerning that busy parents trying to get information about support payments are the worst hit,” he said.
“Australians are suffering because the Minister for Government Services is spending his time trying to score political points rather than doing the hard, detailed work of methodically improving customer service.”
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