The growing popularity of services like Centrelink has never been more apparent than when you try to call and ask a question.

Most of us have, at some point, had our patience prodded by their long call wait times, and it seems this queueing problem has become even more troubling as of late.

Madeleine Pizzuti, a pensioner, recently had a frustrating experience with Centrelink’s hold times when trying to handle matters relating to her pension.

The result? She was hung up on after holding for 75 minutes!

Centrelink is currently facing challenges in keeping up with the high demand, and as a result, wait times are experiencing an increase, especially during busy periods. Some customers have even reported difficulty in getting through to a hold line. Image by julianhochgesang from unsplash

Madeleine's simple statement says it all, 'That's far too long', she exclaimed.

Madeleine is not the only one dealing with long wait times and on-hold difficulties.

Many others are also facing similar issues when trying to reach customer service.

The latest statistics from Services Australia show that the wait times have become excessively long.

If you need to call their Families and Parenting line, be prepared for a considerable wait time of approximately 31 minutes and 24 seconds.

The Employment line has its own lengthy wait time of 29 minutes.

Fortunately, the wait time for the senior's line is shorter, at around seven minutes.

Seems unbelievable, right? Well, A Current Affair thought so, too, and decided to put Centrelink to the test.

They tried different methods to reach a real person on the line, which resulted in frustrating hang-ups.

According to the latest figures from Services Australia, call wait times have significantly increased. Image by nordwood from unsplash

Finally, showing more persistence, they managed to connect to the Parenting line, with a wait time of 70 minutes.

Services Australia's General Manager, Hank Jongen, acknowledged that high demand could exceed capacity.

To his credit, Hank urges us not to give up on them just yet.

Despite being understaffed, the department is making significant efforts to recruit and train more personnel.

He said, ‘We're not sitting on our hands, we're currently understaffed, and we're doing everything we can to recruit and train additional staff.’

They are working tirelessly to address these challenges head-on and provide swift and efficient customer service.

To complicate matters further, Centrelink has been facing increased strain due to a recent surge in demand.

The cause? A modern-day detective would attribute it to the cost-of-living crisis, the rise in childcare subsidies, and improved access to the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card.

While these developments are beneficial, they have led to a notable increase in demand that the organisation grapples with.

‘The government has made a couple of announcements in relation to increases in childcare subsidies, (like) greater access to the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card, which has also increased demand that we're facing at this time of the year.’ Jongen said.

To tackle the challenge of wait times, Hank offers a range of suggestions, with the first being to explore online options.

However, Madeleine rightly highlights that some seniors may prefer to rely on their phones instead of computers.

‘A lot of people my age are finding it difficult to use the computer, so they rely on their phones.’ she said.

For those who prefer a more traditional approach, Hank reassures that booking an appointment to visit a Centrelink office and engaging in a face-to-face conversation with the friendly in-house staff is still an option.

Key Takeaways

• Centrelink is experiencing increased call wait times, with claims some customers can't even reach the hold line.
  
• The longest average wait is on the families and parenting line at 31 minutes and 24 seconds, up from 24 minutes.
  
• Services Australia General Manager, Hank Jongen, cited increased demand due to recent government subsidies and the cost-of-living crisis as reasons for the delays.
  
• Jongen suggested utilising online options but acknowledged this might pose difficulties for those not confident with technology.

All that to say, Centrelink is actively working to reduce these prolonged wait times, but until improvements are in place, it's advisable to equip ourselves with a healthy dose of patience.

Have you experienced long call wait times or difficulties reaching Centrelink's customer service? What are your thoughts on the recent surge in demand for Centrelink services and the resulting delays in response times?

 

[reddog]

The growing popularity of services like Centrelink has never been more apparent than when you try to call and ask a question.

Most of us have, at some point, had our patience prodded by their long call wait times, and it seems this queueing problem has become even more troubling as of late.

Madeleine Pizzuti, a pensioner, recently had a frustrating experience with Centrelink’s hold times when trying to handle matters relating to her pension.

The result? She was hung up on after holding for 75 minutes!

View attachment 25756

Centrelink is currently facing challenges in keeping up with the high demand, and as a result, wait times are experiencing an increase, especially during busy periods. Some customers have even reported difficulty in getting through to a hold line. Image by julianhochgesang from unsplash

Madeleine's simple statement says it all, 'That's far too long', she exclaimed.

Madeleine is not the only one dealing with long wait times and on-hold difficulties.

Many others are also facing similar issues when trying to reach customer service.

The latest statistics from Services Australia show that the wait times have become excessively long.

If you need to call their Families and Parenting line, be prepared for a considerable wait time of approximately 31 minutes and 24 seconds.

The Employment line has its own lengthy wait time of 29 minutes.

Fortunately, the wait time for the senior's line is shorter, at around seven minutes.

Seems unbelievable, right? Well, A Current Affair thought so, too, and decided to put Centrelink to the test.

They tried different methods to reach a real person on the line, which resulted in frustrating hang-ups.

View attachment 25757

According to the latest figures from Services Australia, call wait times have significantly increased. Image by nordwood from unsplash

Finally, showing more persistence, they managed to connect to the Parenting line, with a wait time of 70 minutes.

Services Australia's General Manager, Hank Jongen, acknowledged that high demand could exceed capacity.

To his credit, Hank urges us not to give up on them just yet.

Despite being understaffed, the department is making significant efforts to recruit and train more personnel.

He said, ‘We're not sitting on our hands, we're currently understaffed, and we're doing everything we can to recruit and train additional staff.’

They are working tirelessly to address these challenges head-on and provide swift and efficient customer service.

To complicate matters further, Centrelink has been facing increased strain due to a recent surge in demand.

The cause? A modern-day detective would attribute it to the cost-of-living crisis, the rise in childcare subsidies, and improved access to the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card.

While these developments are beneficial, they have led to a notable increase in demand that the organisation grapples with.

‘The government has made a couple of announcements in relation to increases in childcare subsidies, (like) greater access to the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card, which has also increased demand that we're facing at this time of the year.’ Jongen said.

To tackle the challenge of wait times, Hank offers a range of suggestions, with the first being to explore online options.

However, Madeleine rightly highlights that some seniors may prefer to rely on their phones instead of computers.

‘A lot of people my age are finding it difficult to use the computer, so they rely on their phones.’ she said.

For those who prefer a more traditional approach, Hank reassures that booking an appointment to visit a Centrelink office and engaging in a face-to-face conversation with the friendly in-house staff is still an option.

Key Takeaways

• Centrelink is experiencing increased call wait times, with claims some customers can't even reach the hold line.
• The longest average wait is on the families and parenting line at 31 minutes and 24 seconds, up from 24 minutes.
• Services Australia General Manager, Hank Jongen, cited increased demand due to recent government subsidies and the cost-of-living crisis as reasons for the delays.
• Jongen suggested utilising online options but acknowledged this might pose difficulties for those not confident with technology.

All that to say, Centrelink is actively working to reduce these prolonged wait times, but until improvements are in place, it's advisable to equip ourselves with a healthy dose of patience.

Have you experienced long call wait times or difficulties reaching Centrelink's customer service? What are your thoughts on the recent surge in demand for Centrelink services and the resulting delays in response times?

 

[Witty]

A friend was widowed about three months ago. She tried to ring Centrelink many times - the Seniors line. No luck. I know that it's a bit naughty but I ended up ringing the phone number that people would ring from overseas. Answered in a couple of minutes. I gave him my friends phone number, he contacted her and he was able to organise everything for her.

 

[reddog]

I been calling on 'seniors centrelink line' now on hold 1hr 4minutes... time to hang up & try later

 

[rehandra]

The growing popularity of services like Centrelink has never been more apparent than when you try to call and ask a question.

Most of us have, at some point, had our patience prodded by their long call wait times, and it seems this queueing problem has become even more troubling as of late.

Madeleine Pizzuti, a pensioner, recently had a frustrating experience with Centrelink’s hold times when trying to handle matters relating to her pension.

The result? She was hung up on after holding for 75 minutes!

View attachment 25756

Centrelink is currently facing challenges in keeping up with the high demand, and as a result, wait times are experiencing an increase, especially during busy periods. Some customers have even reported difficulty in getting through to a hold line. Image by julianhochgesang from unsplash

Madeleine's simple statement says it all, 'That's far too long', she exclaimed.

Madeleine is not the only one dealing with long wait times and on-hold difficulties.

Many others are also facing similar issues when trying to reach customer service.

The latest statistics from Services Australia show that the wait times have become excessively long.

If you need to call their Families and Parenting line, be prepared for a considerable wait time of approximately 31 minutes and 24 seconds.

The Employment line has its own lengthy wait time of 29 minutes.

Fortunately, the wait time for the senior's line is shorter, at around seven minutes.

Seems unbelievable, right? Well, A Current Affair thought so, too, and decided to put Centrelink to the test.

They tried different methods to reach a real person on the line, which resulted in frustrating hang-ups.

View attachment 25757

According to the latest figures from Services Australia, call wait times have significantly increased. Image by nordwood from unsplash

Finally, showing more persistence, they managed to connect to the Parenting line, with a wait time of 70 minutes.

Services Australia's General Manager, Hank Jongen, acknowledged that high demand could exceed capacity.

To his credit, Hank urges us not to give up on them just yet.

Despite being understaffed, the department is making significant efforts to recruit and train more personnel.

He said, ‘We're not sitting on our hands, we're currently understaffed, and we're doing everything we can to recruit and train additional staff.’

They are working tirelessly to address these challenges head-on and provide swift and efficient customer service.

To complicate matters further, Centrelink has been facing increased strain due to a recent surge in demand.

The cause? A modern-day detective would attribute it to the cost-of-living crisis, the rise in childcare subsidies, and improved access to the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card.

While these developments are beneficial, they have led to a notable increase in demand that the organisation grapples with.

‘The government has made a couple of announcements in relation to increases in childcare subsidies, (like) greater access to the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card, which has also increased demand that we're facing at this time of the year.’ Jongen said.

To tackle the challenge of wait times, Hank offers a range of suggestions, with the first being to explore online options.

However, Madeleine rightly highlights that some seniors may prefer to rely on their phones instead of computers.

‘A lot of people my age are finding it difficult to use the computer, so they rely on their phones.’ she said.

For those who prefer a more traditional approach, Hank reassures that booking an appointment to visit a Centrelink office and engaging in a face-to-face conversation with the friendly in-house staff is still an option.

Key Takeaways

• Centrelink is experiencing increased call wait times, with claims some customers can't even reach the hold line.
• The longest average wait is on the families and parenting line at 31 minutes and 24 seconds, up from 24 minutes.
• Services Australia General Manager, Hank Jongen, cited increased demand due to recent government subsidies and the cost-of-living crisis as reasons for the delays.
• Jongen suggested utilising online options but acknowledged this might pose difficulties for those not confident with technology.

All that to say, Centrelink is actively working to reduce these prolonged wait times, but until improvements are in place, it's advisable to equip ourselves with a healthy dose of patience.

Have you experienced long call wait times or difficulties reaching Centrelink's customer service? What are your thoughts on the recent surge in demand for Centrelink services and the resulting delays in response times?

For the first time I have had reason to deal with Centrelink...OMG! Just cannot get through on the phone after numerous attempts. Tried to cancel an appointment. Ended up going into the local branch and telling them that I could not attend on the day. I just do not ring up now...just go in and wait about 20 mins and then see someone. I still have no outcome for my claim (a Carer's Allowance) and I applied 3 mths ago. Decided I would attempt to give myself a Digital Identity which was required to link Centrelink to MyGov account. By the end of actually setting up the Digitital Identity (not having much of a clue if it was going to be successful) and it DID work I just burst into tears. I was so stressed. I got an email to say it had been successful so I went into MyGov and when I went to link Centrelink up in there...guess what....could not do so!! I have no idea what to do now other than once again go into the branch where I live. I was a secretary in another life so have a bit of a head start on other seniors but how on earth they expect those with no knowledge to understand all this....it just defies belief.!!!

 

[LadyMoonlight]

The most ridiculous things I hear about is child care subsidies. When my children were small there was no such thing or even mention! Grandparents helped out and if you had to work there were fabulous days of being with the children on days off or working part time
No one thought of any subsidies, there were no much loved battery operated lollies etc
Children grew up happy and not isolated by parents getting rid of their kids to child care centres so they could get work to pay to offload their kids!
No one should have children if they won’t commit to taking care of them
Nowadays there are also parents who won’t send their kids to school to learn to be amongst their peers! How society has changed for the worse

There are two reasons women were encouraged into the workforce rather than be stay at home mums raising their families:
(1) The government gets more income tax with the other half of the population working, and
(2) The government gets their hands on the little ones earlier so that the indoctrination can begin before primary school.

This all contributes to the break-up of the traditional family, with economic pressures etc. It is what feminists wanted and the government supports for tax dollars. I believe a mother's place is in the home raising the kids, not forced out into the workforce, but I am old-fashioned and can see what it has done to the traditional family.

 

[LadyMoonlight]

I don't ring Centrelink as I am able to catch the bus into town and go to the office. I can't speak to phone waiting times. However, I call Centrelink Incompetencelink. They are slow and useless and it takes months to get what one needs from them.

 

[Shane/#]

The growing popularity of services like Centrelink has never been more apparent than when you try to call and ask a question.

Most of us have, at some point, had our patience prodded by their long call wait times, and it seems this queueing problem has become even more troubling as of late.

Madeleine Pizzuti, a pensioner, recently had a frustrating experience with Centrelink’s hold times when trying to handle matters relating to her pension.

The result? She was hung up on after holding for 75 minutes!

View attachment 25756

Centrelink is currently facing challenges in keeping up with the high demand, and as a result, wait times are experiencing an increase, especially during busy periods. Some customers have even reported difficulty in getting through to a hold line. Image by julianhochgesang from unsplash

Madeleine's simple statement says it all, 'That's far too long', she exclaimed.

Madeleine is not the only one dealing with long wait times and on-hold difficulties.

Many others are also facing similar issues when trying to reach customer service.

The latest statistics from Services Australia show that the wait times have become excessively long.

If you need to call their Families and Parenting line, be prepared for a considerable wait time of approximately 31 minutes and 24 seconds.

The Employment line has its own lengthy wait time of 29 minutes.

Fortunately, the wait time for the senior's line is shorter, at around seven minutes.

Seems unbelievable, right? Well, A Current Affair thought so, too, and decided to put Centrelink to the test.

They tried different methods to reach a real person on the line, which resulted in frustrating hang-ups.

View attachment 25757

According to the latest figures from Services Australia, call wait times have significantly increased. Image by nordwood from unsplash

Finally, showing more persistence, they managed to connect to the Parenting line, with a wait time of 70 minutes.

Services Australia's General Manager, Hank Jongen, acknowledged that high demand could exceed capacity.

To his credit, Hank urges us not to give up on them just yet.

Despite being understaffed, the department is making significant efforts to recruit and train more personnel.

He said, ‘We're not sitting on our hands, we're currently understaffed, and we're doing everything we can to recruit and train additional staff.’

They are working tirelessly to address these challenges head-on and provide swift and efficient customer service.

To complicate matters further, Centrelink has been facing increased strain due to a recent surge in demand.

The cause? A modern-day detective would attribute it to the cost-of-living crisis, the rise in childcare subsidies, and improved access to the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card.

While these developments are beneficial, they have led to a notable increase in demand that the organisation grapples with.

‘The government has made a couple of announcements in relation to increases in childcare subsidies, (like) greater access to the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card, which has also increased demand that we're facing at this time of the year.’ Jongen said.

To tackle the challenge of wait times, Hank offers a range of suggestions, with the first being to explore online options.

However, Madeleine rightly highlights that some seniors may prefer to rely on their phones instead of computers.

‘A lot of people my age are finding it difficult to use the computer, so they rely on their phones.’ she said.

For those who prefer a more traditional approach, Hank reassures that booking an appointment to visit a Centrelink office and engaging in a face-to-face conversation with the friendly in-house staff is still an option.

Key Takeaways

• Centrelink is experiencing increased call wait times, with claims some customers can't even reach the hold line.
• The longest average wait is on the families and parenting line at 31 minutes and 24 seconds, up from 24 minutes.
• Services Australia General Manager, Hank Jongen, cited increased demand due to recent government subsidies and the cost-of-living crisis as reasons for the delays.
• Jongen suggested utilising online options but acknowledged this might pose difficulties for those not confident with technology.

All that to say, Centrelink is actively working to reduce these prolonged wait times, but until improvements are in place, it's advisable to equip ourselves with a healthy dose of patience.

Have you experienced long call wait times or difficulties reaching Centrelink's customer service? What are your thoughts on the recent surge in demand for Centrelink services and the resulting delays in response times?

The system is a busted arsehole needs fixing and fixing properly payed by the taxpayer it's pathetic

 

[Drew62]

My Name is Andrew and I have waited 1 hour 45 mins trying to get through to them I have had days where I call and wait over an hour then get hung up on when I do get through and say what happened they just say ohh sorry how can I help you then there are times robot says I can see you have been trying to reach us and say please try again later some days I try 6 times and get the same thing you've been trying to reach us please call back later

 

[Ceecee53]

The growing popularity of services like Centrelink has never been more apparent than when you try to call and ask a question.

Most of us have, at some point, had our patience prodded by their long call wait times, and it seems this queueing problem has become even more troubling as of late.

Madeleine Pizzuti, a pensioner, recently had a frustrating experience with Centrelink’s hold times when trying to handle matters relating to her pension.

The result? She was hung up on after holding for 75 minutes!

View attachment 25756

Centrelink is currently facing challenges in keeping up with the high demand, and as a result, wait times are experiencing an increase, especially during busy periods. Some customers have even reported difficulty in getting through to a hold line. Image by julianhochgesang from unsplash

Madeleine's simple statement says it all, 'That's far too long', she exclaimed.

Madeleine is not the only one dealing with long wait times and on-hold difficulties.

Many others are also facing similar issues when trying to reach customer service.

The latest statistics from Services Australia show that the wait times have become excessively long.

If you need to call their Families and Parenting line, be prepared for a considerable wait time of approximately 31 minutes and 24 seconds.

The Employment line has its own lengthy wait time of 29 minutes.

Fortunately, the wait time for the senior's line is shorter, at around seven minutes.

Seems unbelievable, right? Well, A Current Affair thought so, too, and decided to put Centrelink to the test.

They tried different methods to reach a real person on the line, which resulted in frustrating hang-ups.

View attachment 25757

According to the latest figures from Services Australia, call wait times have significantly increased. Image by nordwood from unsplash

Finally, showing more persistence, they managed to connect to the Parenting line, with a wait time of 70 minutes.

Services Australia's General Manager, Hank Jongen, acknowledged that high demand could exceed capacity.

To his credit, Hank urges us not to give up on them just yet.

Despite being understaffed, the department is making significant efforts to recruit and train more personnel.

He said, ‘We're not sitting on our hands, we're currently understaffed, and we're doing everything we can to recruit and train additional staff.’

They are working tirelessly to address these challenges head-on and provide swift and efficient customer service.

To complicate matters further, Centrelink has been facing increased strain due to a recent surge in demand.

The cause? A modern-day detective would attribute it to the cost-of-living crisis, the rise in childcare subsidies, and improved access to the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card.

While these developments are beneficial, they have led to a notable increase in demand that the organisation grapples with.

‘The government has made a couple of announcements in relation to increases in childcare subsidies, (like) greater access to the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card, which has also increased demand that we're facing at this time of the year.’ Jongen said.

To tackle the challenge of wait times, Hank offers a range of suggestions, with the first being to explore online options.

However, Madeleine rightly highlights that some seniors may prefer to rely on their phones instead of computers.

‘A lot of people my age are finding it difficult to use the computer, so they rely on their phones.’ she said.

For those who prefer a more traditional approach, Hank reassures that booking an appointment to visit a Centrelink office and engaging in a face-to-face conversation with the friendly in-house staff is still an option.

Key Takeaways

• Centrelink is experiencing increased call wait times, with claims some customers can't even reach the hold line.
• The longest average wait is on the families and parenting line at 31 minutes and 24 seconds, up from 24 minutes.
• Services Australia General Manager, Hank Jongen, cited increased demand due to recent government subsidies and the cost-of-living crisis as reasons for the delays.
• Jongen suggested utilising online options but acknowledged this might pose difficulties for those not confident with technology.

All that to say, Centrelink is actively working to reduce these prolonged wait times, but until improvements are in place, it's advisable to equip ourselves with a healthy dose of patience.

Have you experienced long call wait times or difficulties reaching Centrelink's customer service? What are your thoughts on the recent surge in demand for Centrelink services and the resulting delays in response times?

Hi everyone - our son was on hold to Centrelink re his Jobseeker for over an hour. Then he had to deal with the run-around of the selections, and was then told to call back later! Even trying to make a face-to-face appointment will take almost 2 weeks for a booking. Something he found out recently is that if you have a level 2 nominee, you (the Jobseeker) CANNOT apply for an advance payment on the Centrelink app or a computer - effectively losing control of his own account with Centrelink! Even the staff member we spoke to didn't know this.

 

[Trudi]

The most ridiculous things I hear about is child care subsidies. When my children were small there was no such thing or even mention! Grandparents helped out and if you had to work there were fabulous days of being with the children on days off or working part time
No one thought of any subsidies, there were no much loved battery operated lollies etc
Children grew up happy and not isolated by parents getting rid of their kids to child care centres so they could get work to pay to offload their kids!
No one should have children if they won’t commit to taking care of them
Nowadays there are also parents who won’t send their kids to school to learn to be amongst their peers! How society has changed for the worse

Oh, you're one of those that dared to criticize me for going to work in order to look after my children and to put a roof over their heads, food on the table and clothes on their back? How dare you!

 

[Suzanne rose]

I finally got through today after being on for over 90 minutes.
I had a lovely lady who I asked if they were under staffed and she said that was an under statement. They are doing long shifts and being abused by alot of customers .
Remember it's not their fault with delays so please be kind.

She was also shocked to see my claim for DSP has been 6 months and that I haven't heard anything...she said again it probably is because of the build up and no staff.

 

[Face-to-face]

The growing popularity of services like Centrelink has never been more apparent than when you try to call and ask a question.

Most of us have, at some point, had our patience prodded by their long call wait times, and it seems this queueing problem has become even more troubling as of late.

Madeleine Pizzuti, a pensioner, recently had a frustrating experience with Centrelink’s hold times when trying to handle matters relating to her pension.

The result? She was hung up on after holding for 75 minutes!

View attachment 25756

Centrelink is currently facing challenges in keeping up with the high demand, and as a result, wait times are experiencing an increase, especially during busy periods. Some customers have even reported difficulty in getting through to a hold line. Image by julianhochgesang from unsplash

Madeleine's simple statement says it all, 'That's far too long', she exclaimed.

Madeleine is not the only one dealing with long wait times and on-hold difficulties.

Many others are also facing similar issues when trying to reach customer service.

The latest statistics from Services Australia show that the wait times have become excessively long.

If you need to call their Families and Parenting line, be prepared for a considerable wait time of approximately 31 minutes and 24 seconds.

The Employment line has its own lengthy wait time of 29 minutes.

Fortunately, the wait time for the senior's line is shorter, at around seven minutes.

Seems unbelievable, right? Well, A Current Affair thought so, too, and decided to put Centrelink to the test.

They tried different methods to reach a real person on the line, which resulted in frustrating hang-ups.

View attachment 25757

According to the latest figures from Services Australia, call wait times have significantly increased. Image by nordwood from unsplash

Finally, showing more persistence, they managed to connect to the Parenting line, with a wait time of 70 minutes.

Services Australia's General Manager, Hank Jongen, acknowledged that high demand could exceed capacity.

To his credit, Hank urges us not to give up on them just yet.

Despite being understaffed, the department is making significant efforts to recruit and train more personnel.

He said, ‘We're not sitting on our hands, we're currently understaffed, and we're doing everything we can to recruit and train additional staff.’

They are working tirelessly to address these challenges head-on and provide swift and efficient customer service.

To complicate matters further, Centrelink has been facing increased strain due to a recent surge in demand.

The cause? A modern-day detective would attribute it to the cost-of-living crisis, the rise in childcare subsidies, and improved access to the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card.

While these developments are beneficial, they have led to a notable increase in demand that the organisation grapples with.

‘The government has made a couple of announcements in relation to increases in childcare subsidies, (like) greater access to the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card, which has also increased demand that we're facing at this time of the year.’ Jongen said.

To tackle the challenge of wait times, Hank offers a range of suggestions, with the first being to explore online options.

However, Madeleine rightly highlights that some seniors may prefer to rely on their phones instead of computers.

‘A lot of people my age are finding it difficult to use the computer, so they rely on their phones.’ she said.

For those who prefer a more traditional approach, Hank reassures that booking an appointment to visit a Centrelink office and engaging in a face-to-face conversation with the friendly in-house staff is still an option.

Key Takeaways

• Centrelink is experiencing increased call wait times, with claims some customers can't even reach the hold line.
• The longest average wait is on the families and parenting line at 31 minutes and 24 seconds, up from 24 minutes.
• Services Australia General Manager, Hank Jongen, cited increased demand due to recent government subsidies and the cost-of-living crisis as reasons for the delays.
• Jongen suggested utilising online options but acknowledged this might pose difficulties for those not confident with technology.

All that to say, Centrelink is actively working to reduce these prolonged wait times, but until improvements are in place, it's advisable to equip ourselves with a healthy dose of patience.

Have you experienced long call wait times or difficulties reaching Centrelink's customer service? What are your thoughts on the recent surge in demand for Centrelink services and the resulting delays in response times?

I go into Centrelink now. Whilewaiting you can watch the 'entertainment' of people and staff. I always leave now with all the information I needed And an entertaining morning.

 

[silverlox60]

The growing popularity of services like Centrelink has never been more apparent than when you try to call and ask a question.

Most of us have, at some point, had our patience prodded by their long call wait times, and it seems this queueing problem has become even more troubling as of late.

Madeleine Pizzuti, a pensioner, recently had a frustrating experience with Centrelink’s hold times when trying to handle matters relating to her pension.

The result? She was hung up on after holding for 75 minutes!

View attachment 25756

Centrelink is currently facing challenges in keeping up with the high demand, and as a result, wait times are experiencing an increase, especially during busy periods. Some customers have even reported difficulty in getting through to a hold line. Image by julianhochgesang from unsplash

Madeleine's simple statement says it all, 'That's far too long', she exclaimed.

Madeleine is not the only one dealing with long wait times and on-hold difficulties.

Many others are also facing similar issues when trying to reach customer service.

The latest statistics from Services Australia show that the wait times have become excessively long.

If you need to call their Families and Parenting line, be prepared for a considerable wait time of approximately 31 minutes and 24 seconds.

The Employment line has its own lengthy wait time of 29 minutes.

Fortunately, the wait time for the senior's line is shorter, at around seven minutes.

Seems unbelievable, right? Well, A Current Affair thought so, too, and decided to put Centrelink to the test.

They tried different methods to reach a real person on the line, which resulted in frustrating hang-ups.

View attachment 25757

According to the latest figures from Services Australia, call wait times have significantly increased. Image by nordwood from unsplash

Finally, showing more persistence, they managed to connect to the Parenting line, with a wait time of 70 minutes.

Services Australia's General Manager, Hank Jongen, acknowledged that high demand could exceed capacity.

To his credit, Hank urges us not to give up on them just yet.

Despite being understaffed, the department is making significant efforts to recruit and train more personnel.

He said, ‘We're not sitting on our hands, we're currently understaffed, and we're doing everything we can to recruit and train additional staff.’

They are working tirelessly to address these challenges head-on and provide swift and efficient customer service.

To complicate matters further, Centrelink has been facing increased strain due to a recent surge in demand.

The cause? A modern-day detective would attribute it to the cost-of-living crisis, the rise in childcare subsidies, and improved access to the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card.

While these developments are beneficial, they have led to a notable increase in demand that the organisation grapples with.

‘The government has made a couple of announcements in relation to increases in childcare subsidies, (like) greater access to the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card, which has also increased demand that we're facing at this time of the year.’ Jongen said.

To tackle the challenge of wait times, Hank offers a range of suggestions, with the first being to explore online options.

However, Madeleine rightly highlights that some seniors may prefer to rely on their phones instead of computers.

‘A lot of people my age are finding it difficult to use the computer, so they rely on their phones.’ she said.

For those who prefer a more traditional approach, Hank reassures that booking an appointment to visit a Centrelink office and engaging in a face-to-face conversation with the friendly in-house staff is still an option.

Key Takeaways

• Centrelink is experiencing increased call wait times, with claims some customers can't even reach the hold line.
• The longest average wait is on the families and parenting line at 31 minutes and 24 seconds, up from 24 minutes.
• Services Australia General Manager, Hank Jongen, cited increased demand due to recent government subsidies and the cost-of-living crisis as reasons for the delays.
• Jongen suggested utilising online options but acknowledged this might pose difficulties for those not confident with technology.

All that to say, Centrelink is actively working to reduce these prolonged wait times, but until improvements are in place, it's advisable to equip ourselves with a healthy dose of patience.

Have you experienced long call wait times or difficulties reaching Centrelink's customer service? What are your thoughts on the recent surge in demand for Centrelink services and the resulting delays in response times?

Wait times....I think it's a test of stamina and that you'll give up and go away!
One occasion was 1hr 45mins and I was disconnected. I realised it must have been after hours by then. They'd all gone home and thus silly mug was hanging on a phone line that was never going ti get answered.

Another time.....4hr 21 mins....I kid you not. I'd cleaned the house, done the washing, meal prepped, had lunch. All just for a Health Card. I gave up and never got a health card.

 

[johno cpfc]

75 minutes is but a blink of an eye, i have been waiting for my bank for 3 hours just to inform me of a scam call i was enquiring about.
having to wait for any time is an absolute disgrace in this age, as time is of the essence when dealing with scammers who are trying to get into your account .

 

[Marino]

If only the length of wait times were recorded on my phone!
To manage the long waits, I put the call on speaker and carry the phone with me from room to room as I do my housework.

 

[Sej]

The growing popularity of services like Centrelink has never been more apparent than when you try to call and ask a question.

Most of us have, at some point, had our patience prodded by their long call wait times, and it seems this queueing problem has become even more troubling as of late.

Madeleine Pizzuti, a pensioner, recently had a frustrating experience with Centrelink’s hold times when trying to handle matters relating to her pension.

The result? She was hung up on after holding for 75 minutes!

View attachment 25756

Centrelink is currently facing challenges in keeping up with the high demand, and as a result, wait times are experiencing an increase, especially during busy periods. Some customers have even reported difficulty in getting through to a hold line. Image by julianhochgesang from unsplash

Madeleine's simple statement says it all, 'That's far too long', she exclaimed.

Madeleine is not the only one dealing with long wait times and on-hold difficulties.

Many others are also facing similar issues when trying to reach customer service.

The latest statistics from Services Australia show that the wait times have become excessively long.

If you need to call their Families and Parenting line, be prepared for a considerable wait time of approximately 31 minutes and 24 seconds.

The Employment line has its own lengthy wait time of 29 minutes.

Fortunately, the wait time for the senior's line is shorter, at around seven minutes.

Seems unbelievable, right? Well, A Current Affair thought so, too, and decided to put Centrelink to the test.

They tried different methods to reach a real person on the line, which resulted in frustrating hang-ups.

View attachment 25757

According to the latest figures from Services Australia, call wait times have significantly increased. Image by nordwood from unsplash

Finally, showing more persistence, they managed to connect to the Parenting line, with a wait time of 70 minutes.

Services Australia's General Manager, Hank Jongen, acknowledged that high demand could exceed capacity.

To his credit, Hank urges us not to give up on them just yet.

Despite being understaffed, the department is making significant efforts to recruit and train more personnel.

He said, ‘We're not sitting on our hands, we're currently understaffed, and we're doing everything we can to recruit and train additional staff.’

They are working tirelessly to address these challenges head-on and provide swift and efficient customer service.

To complicate matters further, Centrelink has been facing increased strain due to a recent surge in demand.

The cause? A modern-day detective would attribute it to the cost-of-living crisis, the rise in childcare subsidies, and improved access to the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card.

While these developments are beneficial, they have led to a notable increase in demand that the organisation grapples with.

‘The government has made a couple of announcements in relation to increases in childcare subsidies, (like) greater access to the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card, which has also increased demand that we're facing at this time of the year.’ Jongen said.

To tackle the challenge of wait times, Hank offers a range of suggestions, with the first being to explore online options.

However, Madeleine rightly highlights that some seniors may prefer to rely on their phones instead of computers.

‘A lot of people my age are finding it difficult to use the computer, so they rely on their phones.’ she said.

For those who prefer a more traditional approach, Hank reassures that booking an appointment to visit a Centrelink office and engaging in a face-to-face conversation with the friendly in-house staff is still an option.

Key Takeaways

• Centrelink is experiencing increased call wait times, with claims some customers can't even reach the hold line.
• The longest average wait is on the families and parenting line at 31 minutes and 24 seconds, up from 24 minutes.
• Services Australia General Manager, Hank Jongen, cited increased demand due to recent government subsidies and the cost-of-living crisis as reasons for the delays.
• Jongen suggested utilising online options but acknowledged this might pose difficulties for those not confident with technology.

All that to say, Centrelink is actively working to reduce these prolonged wait times, but until improvements are in place, it's advisable to equip ourselves with a healthy dose of patience.

Have you experienced long call wait times or difficulties reaching Centrelink's customer service? What are your thoughts on the recent surge in demand for Centrelink services and the resulting delays in response times?

YES!! I think it is utterly outrageous that we are forced to wait up to 1.5 hours for government services like Centrelink, My Aged Care, and others-- where people are generally dealing with difficult situations anyway. It sometimes feels like a punishment! Surely it can't be too hard putting on one or two extra staff when time-lags like this begin to occur?

 

[maggiej]

Trying to book an appointment is time-consuming too. You ring to make the appointment but then are put on hold like everyone else for so long and then to be cut off. NOT happy Jan!

 

[Trudi]

There are two reasons women were encouraged into the workforce rather than be stay at home mums raising their families:
(1) The government gets more income tax with the other half of the population working, and
(2) The government gets their hands on the little ones earlier so that the indoctrination can begin before primary school.

This all contributes to the break-up of the traditional family, with economic pressures etc. It is what feminists wanted and the government supports for tax dollars. I believe a mother's place is in the home raising the kids, not forced out into the workforce, but I am old-fashioned and can see what it has done to the traditional family.

That's hilarious!

 

[KiwiTrish]

The growing popularity of services like Centrelink has never been more apparent than when you try to call and ask a question.

Most of us have, at some point, had our patience prodded by their long call wait times, and it seems this queueing problem has become even more troubling as of late.

Madeleine Pizzuti, a pensioner, recently had a frustrating experience with Centrelink’s hold times when trying to handle matters relating to her pension.

The result? She was hung up on after holding for 75 minutes!

View attachment 25756

Centrelink is currently facing challenges in keeping up with the high demand, and as a result, wait times are experiencing an increase, especially during busy periods. Some customers have even reported difficulty in getting through to a hold line. Image by julianhochgesang from unsplash

Madeleine's simple statement says it all, 'That's far too long', she exclaimed.

Madeleine is not the only one dealing with long wait times and on-hold difficulties.

Many others are also facing similar issues when trying to reach customer service.

The latest statistics from Services Australia show that the wait times have become excessively long.

If you need to call their Families and Parenting line, be prepared for a considerable wait time of approximately 31 minutes and 24 seconds.

The Employment line has its own lengthy wait time of 29 minutes.

Fortunately, the wait time for the senior's line is shorter, at around seven minutes.

Seems unbelievable, right? Well, A Current Affair thought so, too, and decided to put Centrelink to the test.

They tried different methods to reach a real person on the line, which resulted in frustrating hang-ups.

View attachment 25757

According to the latest figures from Services Australia, call wait times have significantly increased. Image by nordwood from unsplash

Finally, showing more persistence, they managed to connect to the Parenting line, with a wait time of 70 minutes.

Services Australia's General Manager, Hank Jongen, acknowledged that high demand could exceed capacity.

To his credit, Hank urges us not to give up on them just yet.

Despite being understaffed, the department is making significant efforts to recruit and train more personnel.

He said, ‘We're not sitting on our hands, we're currently understaffed, and we're doing everything we can to recruit and train additional staff.’

They are working tirelessly to address these challenges head-on and provide swift and efficient customer service.

To complicate matters further, Centrelink has been facing increased strain due to a recent surge in demand.

The cause? A modern-day detective would attribute it to the cost-of-living crisis, the rise in childcare subsidies, and improved access to the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card.

While these developments are beneficial, they have led to a notable increase in demand that the organisation grapples with.

‘The government has made a couple of announcements in relation to increases in childcare subsidies, (like) greater access to the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card, which has also increased demand that we're facing at this time of the year.’ Jongen said.

To tackle the challenge of wait times, Hank offers a range of suggestions, with the first being to explore online options.

However, Madeleine rightly highlights that some seniors may prefer to rely on their phones instead of computers.

‘A lot of people my age are finding it difficult to use the computer, so they rely on their phones.’ she said.

For those who prefer a more traditional approach, Hank reassures that booking an appointment to visit a Centrelink office and engaging in a face-to-face conversation with the friendly in-house staff is still an option.

Key Takeaways

• Centrelink is experiencing increased call wait times, with claims some customers can't even reach the hold line.
• The longest average wait is on the families and parenting line at 31 minutes and 24 seconds, up from 24 minutes.
• Services Australia General Manager, Hank Jongen, cited increased demand due to recent government subsidies and the cost-of-living crisis as reasons for the delays.
• Jongen suggested utilising online options but acknowledged this might pose difficulties for those not confident with technology.

All that to say, Centrelink is actively working to reduce these prolonged wait times, but until improvements are in place, it's advisable to equip ourselves with a healthy dose of patience.

Have you experienced long call wait times or difficulties reaching Centrelink's customer service? What are your thoughts on the recent surge in demand for Centrelink services and the resulting delays in response times?

J

The growing popularity of services like Centrelink has never been more apparent than when you try to call and ask a question.

Most of us have, at some point, had our patience prodded by their long call wait times, and it seems this queueing problem has become even more troubling as of late.

Madeleine Pizzuti, a pensioner, recently had a frustrating experience with Centrelink’s hold times when trying to handle matters relating to her pension.

The result? She was hung up on after holding for 75 minutes!

View attachment 25756

Centrelink is currently facing challenges in keeping up with the high demand, and as a result, wait times are experiencing an increase, especially during busy periods. Some customers have even reported difficulty in getting through to a hold line. Image by julianhochgesang from unsplash

Madeleine's simple statement says it all, 'That's far too long', she exclaimed.

Madeleine is not the only one dealing with long wait times and on-hold difficulties.

Many others are also facing similar issues when trying to reach customer service.

The latest statistics from Services Australia show that the wait times have become excessively long.

If you need to call their Families and Parenting line, be prepared for a considerable wait time of approximately 31 minutes and 24 seconds.

The Employment line has its own lengthy wait time of 29 minutes.

Fortunately, the wait time for the senior's line is shorter, at around seven minutes.

Seems unbelievable, right? Well, A Current Affair thought so, too, and decided to put Centrelink to the test.

They tried different methods to reach a real person on the line, which resulted in frustrating hang-ups.

View attachment 25757

According to the latest figures from Services Australia, call wait times have significantly increased. Image by nordwood from unsplash

Finally, showing more persistence, they managed to connect to the Parenting line, with a wait time of 70 minutes.

Services Australia's General Manager, Hank Jongen, acknowledged that high demand could exceed capacity.

To his credit, Hank urges us not to give up on them just yet.

Despite being understaffed, the department is making significant efforts to recruit and train more personnel.

He said, ‘We're not sitting on our hands, we're currently understaffed, and we're doing everything we can to recruit and train additional staff.’

They are working tirelessly to address these challenges head-on and provide swift and efficient customer service.

To complicate matters further, Centrelink has been facing increased strain due to a recent surge in demand.

The cause? A modern-day detective would attribute it to the cost-of-living crisis, the rise in childcare subsidies, and improved access to the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card.

While these developments are beneficial, they have led to a notable increase in demand that the organisation grapples with.

‘The government has made a couple of announcements in relation to increases in childcare subsidies, (like) greater access to the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card, which has also increased demand that we're facing at this time of the year.’ Jongen said.

To tackle the challenge of wait times, Hank offers a range of suggestions, with the first being to explore online options.

However, Madeleine rightly highlights that some seniors may prefer to rely on their phones instead of computers.

‘A lot of people my age are finding it difficult to use the computer, so they rely on their phones.’ she said.

For those who prefer a more traditional approach, Hank reassures that booking an appointment to visit a Centrelink office and engaging in a face-to-face conversation with the friendly in-house staff is still an option.

Key Takeaways

• Centrelink is experiencing increased call wait times, with claims some customers can't even reach the hold line.
• The longest average wait is on the families and parenting line at 31 minutes and 24 seconds, up from 24 minutes.
• Services Australia General Manager, Hank Jongen, cited increased demand due to recent government subsidies and the cost-of-living crisis as reasons for the delays.
• Jongen suggested utilising online options but acknowledged this might pose difficulties for those not confident with technology.

All that to say, Centrelink is actively working to reduce these prolonged wait times, but until improvements are in place, it's advisable to equip ourselves with a healthy dose of patience.

Have you experienced long call wait times or difficulties reaching Centrelink's customer service? What are your thoughts on the recent surge in demand for Centrelink services and the resulting delays in response times?

we can expect longer delays they have just dropped the casuals hrs by 1 hr a day

 

[KiwiTrish]

"We are currently experiencing a high volume of telephone calls, you will be connected to the next available operator"
Translated this means - we are going to make it as time consuming as possible for you to contact our staff. We have no intention of increasing staff numbers to answer your calls in a timely manner because we really don't care about your problems. We'll keep you on hold for up to an hour before cutting you off and force you to call again and waste more of your time.
This is not just Centrelink, it's endemic across government and private sector businesses. Some. to their credit, have a ring back service and I applaud these.

And they have just the casual people down by 1 hr a day