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Welfare Rights Centre is a member of the National Association of Community Legal Centres™
Media Release
17 December 2009
Challenges ahead for improved Centrelink service delivery
Proposals to co-locate key services, such as Centrelink and Medicare, promise
more convenience and access and have been welcomed by Welfare Rights.
“Co-location of services makes sense”, according to Maree O’Halloran, Director of
the Welfare Rights Centre.
“The recent announcement by the Minister for Human Services has the potential
to make major inroads into the number one problem for people dealing with
Centrelink – the massive level of overpayments. In 2008-09 Centrelink raised over
2 million debts, totalling $1,926 million.
“Another major problem which might be solved is the need for people to tell their
story many times. Having to tell your story again and again is one of the most
infuriating experiences for people in their dealings with Government. Our clients
would welcome being able to give their details once. There will need to be
appropriate controls to protect privacy. Issues around informed consent, for
example if domestic violence may be involved, will need to be properly handled.
“We are particularly pleased that services for Indigenous communities and rural
and remote communites will be a priority.
Quality of decision-making
“Welfare Rights already has some concerns about the accuracy of the advice that
people get at the Centrelink counter or on the telephone. Many Centrelink
decisions are overturned on appeal. Those which were overturned Centrelink’s
involved situations where Centrelink make an error of fact, incorrectly applied
legislation, new information was uncovered or Centrelink did not properly
interpret the facts. In the future, if staff are eventually expected to deal with
more services like Medicare, we would expect more problems. Improved training
for Centrelink staff and an increase in resources for advocates to assist with
Centrelink problems is essential.
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Cost of contacting Centrelink on mobile phones
“The increased focus on the use of telephones is not without its problems. Calls to
Centrelink and Medicare are charged at a higher rate from mobile phones. More
and more people do not have landlines and rely on pre-paid mobiles to keep costs
in check. Unlike pensioners, Newstart and Youth Allowance recipients do not
receive any financial assistance to meet these communication costs. Welfare
Rights has raised the concerns about the high costs of doing business with
Government, but our pleas to date have fallen on deaf ears.
Jobs
“We welcome the guarantee from the Minister that jobs won’t be shed as the
process is rolled out.
New Centrelink CEO
“Welfare Rights has had a positive, productive relationship new CEO of Centrelink.
We welcome to the appointment of Ms Carolyn Hogg. She has a good
understanding of the pressures faced by organisations such as ours who deal with
clients with Centrelink problems on a daily basis. The relationship with the
community welfare sector will be tested if the Government pushes ahead with its
controversial plans roll-out income management.”
For comment: Maree O’Halloran, Director, Welfare Rights Centre: 0417 672 104
or Gerard Thomas: 0425 296 882.
NEWS 
