‘Secret’ plan could close more than 30 Centrelink branches across Australia
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More than 30 branches of Centrelink across the country are at risk of closure in what Labor has labelled a ‘secret’ government plan to streamline services.
The Centrelink workforce across Australia is concerned that Minister Linda Reynolds could give the go signal for the closure of branches across the nation and replace them with a ‘skeleton agent model’, especially those with five staff or less.
These sites are predominantly located in rural and regional areas; their closure could mean more residents with poor internet and phone reception will be directed online to access services.
When questioned about the closure plans, Minister Linda Reynolds deferred comment to Services Australia, which has denied that reviews of smaller sites have been taking place.
More than 30 Centrelink branches across Australia are at risk of closure. Photo credit: NCA NewsWire/Joel Carrett.
Bill Shorten, Labor’s government services spokesperson, criticised the plan and called it an act of “civic vandalism”.
“The Government must come clean on its review of sites and tell Australians which additional Centrelinks it plans to shutter,” said Mr Shorten.
“Such a plan would close more than 30 Centrelinks across the nation including places like the Cooma Centrelink, which covers a service area of 20,000km.”
“It is a cynical pea-and-thimble trick unworthy of elected representatives and senior bureaucrats.”
The public sector union national president Alistair Waters was also worried and pointed out that Services Australia has a recent trend of closing down shop fronts.
“The CPSU is aware through the agency’s own National Consultative Committee that it is currently undertaking a review of sites,” said Mr Waters.
“Services Australia management has been decreasing its footprint across the country for the single purpose of saving money.”
“This is a well-established pattern by Services Australia senior management of failing to genuinely consult with workers and the community about the very real implications of changes.”
“Instead, Services Australia only advises decisions after the fact, to reduce push back from the community.”
Centrelink is a master program of the Australian government under Services Australia, aiming to provide social security payments and services. Photo credit: NCA NewsWire/Joel Carrett.
General Manager Hank Jongen has denied the allegations that they reviewed smaller sites. However, he did not renounce that a ‘broader’ review is ongoing.
“We are undertaking a national rollout of modernised service centres, with customers at the heart of the design. Our new service centres have contemporary layouts, easier navigation through our services, the ability to book Centrelink appointments and digital coaching options,” said Mr Jongen.
“This new and improved customer service experience began with the opening of a modernised service centre in Perth in 2020 and continues to be rolled out across the country.”
There are currently 320 Centrelink service centres across Australia. In the past three years, around ten Centrelink branches across QLD, NSW, Victoria, the ACT, and Northern Territory have already been shut down.
It is believed that six offices across Victoria and NSW are currently at risk.
In a Senate estimate hearing last October, Grant Tidswell, deputy chief executive of Services Australia, said the department was looking at getting the “right mix”, but he never explicitly confirmed that more closures were on the cards.
“We're looking right across the board at all of our service centres to try to get the right mix. We’re using an evidence-based model to determine the right look, feel, approach and access,” said Mr Tidswell.
Update: An earlier version of this article incorrectly referred to this story as a secret plan 'by Labor'. Rather, it's a criticism of the current Liberal government by the Labor party.
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