As the golden years unfold, many Australians' reliance on government services such as Centrelink and Medicare becomes increasingly significant.

These services are lifelines, providing essential support for healthcare, aged care, and financial assistance.

However, recent reports have highlighted a growing concern for seniors and other Australians facing excessive wait times and a staggering number of unanswered calls when trying to reach these vital agencies.


Imagine needing urgent assistance or clarification on a payment that affects your livelihood, only to be met with an endless loop of hold music.

This scenario has become all too common, with Centrelink's average wait time ballooning to over half an hour and a jaw-dropping 11 million calls going unanswered.

The situation is even more dire for those seeking family and parenting support, with an average wait time of 52 minutes.


The significant jump from the previous year indicated something is amiss.

Employment Services callers felt the pinch, with wait times creeping up to 49 minutes.

Meanwhile, Medicare inquiries, which once took an average of 14 minutes, have now taken 25 minutes, and Centrelink Aged Care calls wait times have doubled to 24 minutes.


Charmaine Crowe, the ACOSS social security program director, expressed deep concern for those who could not get through.

‘It's distressing to see the call wait times where they are at because we're worried about those people that can't get through and what that means for their payments,’ she said.

‘Parents, they have a lot on their plates at the best of times and don't have time to spend hours on the phone or days trying to get through and, likewise, a lot of people are in employment and can't spend all this time between the hours of 9 am–5 pm to try and get through.’

‘It's of huge concern that there were over 11 million congestion messages,’

‘Sometimes it's a matter of their payment getting cut or reduced when it shouldn't have been, and if you can't get that resolved, it means that you're trying to get by on too little money.’


The federal government has recognised the gravity of the situation and, in May, announced a $1.8 billion investment over three years to bolster frontline and service delivery staff.

This move aims to alleviate staffing pressures and reduce the waiting periods for claims.

With the addition of 3,000 new staff earlier in the year, there is a glimmer of hope that the tide is turning.

Hank Jongen, Services Australia's general manager, reported that Centrelink call wait times had decreased depending on the day.


‘Overall, Centrelink call wait times have fallen from an average of 31 minutes in January to around 25 minutes in June, depending on the day,’ he stated.

‘We answered over 8 million calls through service officers and self-service lines from 1 January to 1 May 2024.’

‘The government has committed in the 2024-25 Budget to increasing the agency's staffing levels to continue to improve services.’

‘We manage around 1 million phone contacts a week, and staff are working hard to answer calls.’

Furthermore, the government's commitment in the 2024-25 Budget to increase staffing levels is a step towards improving services for all Australians.


In related news, Centrelink users faced growing frustration over long wait times and unanswered calls.

Calls to Services Australia, which oversees Centrelink, now average over 30 minutes, with reports of calls being disconnected. Read more about it here
Have you experienced long wait times or unanswered calls with Centrelink or Medicare? Share your stories with us in the comments below.