Aussies on social media discover 'trick' to resolve Centrelink issues faster
- Replies 46
The frustrating reality of waiting endlessly on hold or in Centrelink lines is something many Australians seeking assistance from the government can relate to.
Yet, some savvy social media users have stumbled upon a simple trick to expedite issue resolution—sending an email directly to Centrelink spokesperson Hank Jongen!
As the General Manager of Services Australia, the government body overseeing Centrelink, Jongen is no stranger to controversy.
What's interesting is that Mr Jongen's email address has been public for some time. Notably, he shared it during the rollout of what is now known as 'robodebt', encouraging those who felt 'lost in the system' to contact him directly.
Now, his email address has resurfaced on the popular forum website Reddit, with users sharing their experiences about how quickly Jongen has fixed their Centrelink problems compared to traditional channels.
'I emailed last night, and they've sorted my claim out and are now connecting me to someone else for another issue I've been waiting to be resolved,' commented one user.
A second added: 'I emailed Hank this morning, and the claim was approved later that day. Thanks, mate!'
A third agreed and said, 'I emailed him this morning after seeing a pos, and my ftb was finally approved today!'
'I was sceptical, but after emailing on Wednesday night, I called Centrelink today and found out my claim from early June was marked as high priority yesterday,' shared a fourth.
Other commenters chimed in with similar positive experiences, getting issues like payment errors, reporting changes, and verification requests quickly resolved after emailing Jongen.
However, some questioned whether this 'Hank trick' was fair or ethical.
'I see a lot of people saying this is real, and it helps, but it feels very dodgy,' one user argued.
But most agreed that with call wait times blowing out to hours or even days, contacting Jongen directly yielded better results.
Naturally, this sparked curiosity during a recent Senate estimates hearing about why one man's inbox could resolve issues for some when millions waited almost indefinitely through normal channels.
Liberal Senator Maria Kovacic grilled officials on the apparent imbalance, asking: 'Why is this the case, and how is it even fair?'
Acting Centrelink Chief Chris Birrer claimed the email was just one of many 'paths' people could use to bring up their issues with the system.
Deputy Chief Jarrod Howard also clarified not all emails sent to Jongen resulted in accelerated handling, saying: 'It's a risk management approach that we take.'
'We have to make those assessments in the same way that we make assessments when an MP contacts us or when someone writes to the CEO or myself.'
This follows the news that senators called out Centrelink bosses in a hearing.
Despite receiving fewer calls this year, the agency's performance in answering calls and processing claims has 'deteriorated’.
Only 60 per cent of calls are answered within 15 minutes, with 9 million calls annually encountering a voicemail asking callers to try again later due to high demand.
In July and August of this year, the agency received 8 million calls. Of these, 2.8 million calls resulted in a congestion message, indicating the call queue was full. Among these calls, 1.8 million were successfully answered by a representative, while the customers themselves terminated 800,000.
Centrelink's workforce struggled to keep up with demand as millions of Aussies grappled with the cost-of-living crisis.
Recent figures reveal that the average wait time for all social security and welfare calls to Centrelink has 'skyrocketed' from 14 minutes and 14 seconds during the 2021-22 financial year to 20 minutes and 22 seconds this financial year.
However, Australians who rely on Centrelink services have reported even longer wait times, prompting many to express their frustration on social media.
Members, are you waiting on any processing from Centrelink these days? Have you considered contacting Mr Jongen directly at his email address? We hope you found this article informative!
Yet, some savvy social media users have stumbled upon a simple trick to expedite issue resolution—sending an email directly to Centrelink spokesperson Hank Jongen!
As the General Manager of Services Australia, the government body overseeing Centrelink, Jongen is no stranger to controversy.
What's interesting is that Mr Jongen's email address has been public for some time. Notably, he shared it during the rollout of what is now known as 'robodebt', encouraging those who felt 'lost in the system' to contact him directly.
Aussies on social media have found a quick fix for their Centrelink issues. Credit: Shutterstock.
Now, his email address has resurfaced on the popular forum website Reddit, with users sharing their experiences about how quickly Jongen has fixed their Centrelink problems compared to traditional channels.
'I emailed last night, and they've sorted my claim out and are now connecting me to someone else for another issue I've been waiting to be resolved,' commented one user.
A second added: 'I emailed Hank this morning, and the claim was approved later that day. Thanks, mate!'
A third agreed and said, 'I emailed him this morning after seeing a pos, and my ftb was finally approved today!'
'I was sceptical, but after emailing on Wednesday night, I called Centrelink today and found out my claim from early June was marked as high priority yesterday,' shared a fourth.
Other commenters chimed in with similar positive experiences, getting issues like payment errors, reporting changes, and verification requests quickly resolved after emailing Jongen.
However, some questioned whether this 'Hank trick' was fair or ethical.
'I see a lot of people saying this is real, and it helps, but it feels very dodgy,' one user argued.
But most agreed that with call wait times blowing out to hours or even days, contacting Jongen directly yielded better results.
Naturally, this sparked curiosity during a recent Senate estimates hearing about why one man's inbox could resolve issues for some when millions waited almost indefinitely through normal channels.
Liberal Senator Maria Kovacic grilled officials on the apparent imbalance, asking: 'Why is this the case, and how is it even fair?'
Acting Centrelink Chief Chris Birrer claimed the email was just one of many 'paths' people could use to bring up their issues with the system.
Deputy Chief Jarrod Howard also clarified not all emails sent to Jongen resulted in accelerated handling, saying: 'It's a risk management approach that we take.'
'We have to make those assessments in the same way that we make assessments when an MP contacts us or when someone writes to the CEO or myself.'
This follows the news that senators called out Centrelink bosses in a hearing.
Despite receiving fewer calls this year, the agency's performance in answering calls and processing claims has 'deteriorated’.
Only 60 per cent of calls are answered within 15 minutes, with 9 million calls annually encountering a voicemail asking callers to try again later due to high demand.
In July and August of this year, the agency received 8 million calls. Of these, 2.8 million calls resulted in a congestion message, indicating the call queue was full. Among these calls, 1.8 million were successfully answered by a representative, while the customers themselves terminated 800,000.
Centrelink's workforce struggled to keep up with demand as millions of Aussies grappled with the cost-of-living crisis.
Recent figures reveal that the average wait time for all social security and welfare calls to Centrelink has 'skyrocketed' from 14 minutes and 14 seconds during the 2021-22 financial year to 20 minutes and 22 seconds this financial year.
However, Australians who rely on Centrelink services have reported even longer wait times, prompting many to express their frustration on social media.
Members, are you waiting on any processing from Centrelink these days? Have you considered contacting Mr Jongen directly at his email address? We hope you found this article informative!
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