Centrelink wait times soar due to severe staff shortages. Here’s what the CEO has to say.
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With the cost of living skyrocketing, millions of Australians are turning to Centrelink for financial assistance and peace of mind. But many are not getting the help they need.
The problem is that Centrelink is experiencing a serious staff shortage, which is causing frustration and disappointment for those waiting for their payments or to simply speak with someone.
This shortage is making it even harder for the agency to keep up with the increasing demand for their services, leaving many feeling let down.
According to Services Australia CEO Rebecca Skinner, Centrelink is facing a major staff shortage, with 500 fewer staff members than what they need to manage the demand. This has resulted in longer wait times for those seeking assistance.
Between July 2022 and the end of January this year, the average wait time for Centrelink calls was just over 18 minutes. This is up from an average of 14 minutes in the previous year and only four minutes the year before that.
It's also unfortunate that Centrelink's Older Australians line, which can be reached at 132 300, has an average wait time of 24 minutes and 18 seconds as of December 31, 2022. (Some of our members here in the SDC have even shot back at that number, claiming they waited considerably longer than that.)
To put things into perspective, more than 25 million calls were made to Centrelink between July 2022 and January 2023, with only 8.3 million answered.
Ms Skinner acknowledged that the increased demand for Centrelink services was due in part to the changing economic circumstances. Families and parenting lines, as well as youth and students, were the most affected, experiencing the longest wait times.
This is a challenging situation for many Australians who rely on Centrelink services to get by.
Unfortunately, the issue of long call wait times at Centrelink is not new.
In 2019, Centrelink attempted to address the matter by hiring 300 private call centre workers dedicated to the Older Australians line. But in June 2022, Centrelink reduced its call centre workforce by 30 per cent due to reduced demand.
Centrelink's spokesperson Hank Jongen commented on the situation last year, stating that the agency's budget has been reduced to align with the expected change in demand following the easing of COVID-19 measures.
As part of new financial year adjustments, Centrelink will be bringing staff back in-house to fill casual service delivery roles across the agency, instead of relying on labour hire.
The agency plans to continue adjusting its service contracts and staffing levels based on changing priorities, demands, and the economic climate moving forward. These measures are being taken to address the current issues of long wait times and to improve Centrelink's services.
These changes may help reduce the wait times and improve the experience for those seeking assistance from Centrelink. However, it remains to be seen how effective these measures will be and how they will affect the services provided by Centrelink in the long run.
According to Centrelink's Chief Operating Officer, Russell Egan, a high turnover of staff is contributing to the current staff shortage. Egan explained that there is currently a lot of competition for talent, and many organisations are experiencing a high turnover rate, not just Centrelink.
The department has taken steps to address the issue by bringing in 800 new staff members in January and another 400 so far in February.
However, the tight labour market means that it may still be challenging for Centrelink to attract and retain staff in the long term. It remains to be seen how the department will continue to address these issues and ensure that they have enough staff to meet the demand for their services.
What do some of our members here at the SDC have to say about these frustratingly long Centrelink wait times?
Member @Marian M said, 'We oldies do not want to use the internet and it frustrates us, we do not want to go out and learn how to use their resources when they have staff there to help.'
Meanwhile, member @HamMcG shared in the comments, 'My experience with Centrelink and the older line is you either choose the self-service option or you are told goodbye. No more waiting on hold or we'll phone you back.'
Thankfully, it's not all bad news.
'I'd failed with calling them on a phone just recently, so I chose just to walk into their office to make an appointment. Although it had taken me quite a few visits to get one thing completely done, I was still able to get some help from them at least,' said member @Jsmile.
'I think, they do need some improvement, the call handling, the online system and the whole department management. And I must say that there are somehow some very nice staff there trying to help through this dark tunnel.'
What do you think? Have you had to deal with the frustratingly long waiting times when calling Centrelink recently? We want to hear from you! Share your experiences with us in the comments below.
The problem is that Centrelink is experiencing a serious staff shortage, which is causing frustration and disappointment for those waiting for their payments or to simply speak with someone.
This shortage is making it even harder for the agency to keep up with the increasing demand for their services, leaving many feeling let down.
According to Services Australia CEO Rebecca Skinner, Centrelink is facing a major staff shortage, with 500 fewer staff members than what they need to manage the demand. This has resulted in longer wait times for those seeking assistance.
Are you a user of Centrelink services? If so, you may recently have noticed that the wait times are longer than usual. Credit: Unsplash/Taylor Grote.
Between July 2022 and the end of January this year, the average wait time for Centrelink calls was just over 18 minutes. This is up from an average of 14 minutes in the previous year and only four minutes the year before that.
It's also unfortunate that Centrelink's Older Australians line, which can be reached at 132 300, has an average wait time of 24 minutes and 18 seconds as of December 31, 2022. (Some of our members here in the SDC have even shot back at that number, claiming they waited considerably longer than that.)
To put things into perspective, more than 25 million calls were made to Centrelink between July 2022 and January 2023, with only 8.3 million answered.
Ms Skinner acknowledged that the increased demand for Centrelink services was due in part to the changing economic circumstances. Families and parenting lines, as well as youth and students, were the most affected, experiencing the longest wait times.
This is a challenging situation for many Australians who rely on Centrelink services to get by.
Unfortunately, the issue of long call wait times at Centrelink is not new.
In 2019, Centrelink attempted to address the matter by hiring 300 private call centre workers dedicated to the Older Australians line. But in June 2022, Centrelink reduced its call centre workforce by 30 per cent due to reduced demand.
Centrelink's spokesperson Hank Jongen commented on the situation last year, stating that the agency's budget has been reduced to align with the expected change in demand following the easing of COVID-19 measures.
As part of new financial year adjustments, Centrelink will be bringing staff back in-house to fill casual service delivery roles across the agency, instead of relying on labour hire.
The agency plans to continue adjusting its service contracts and staffing levels based on changing priorities, demands, and the economic climate moving forward. These measures are being taken to address the current issues of long wait times and to improve Centrelink's services.
These changes may help reduce the wait times and improve the experience for those seeking assistance from Centrelink. However, it remains to be seen how effective these measures will be and how they will affect the services provided by Centrelink in the long run.
To try and help the situation, Centrelink recruited 800 new staff members in January, with an additional 400 members added in February. Credit: Pexels/MART PRODUCTION.
According to Centrelink's Chief Operating Officer, Russell Egan, a high turnover of staff is contributing to the current staff shortage. Egan explained that there is currently a lot of competition for talent, and many organisations are experiencing a high turnover rate, not just Centrelink.
The department has taken steps to address the issue by bringing in 800 new staff members in January and another 400 so far in February.
However, the tight labour market means that it may still be challenging for Centrelink to attract and retain staff in the long term. It remains to be seen how the department will continue to address these issues and ensure that they have enough staff to meet the demand for their services.
Member @Marian M said, 'We oldies do not want to use the internet and it frustrates us, we do not want to go out and learn how to use their resources when they have staff there to help.'
Meanwhile, member @HamMcG shared in the comments, 'My experience with Centrelink and the older line is you either choose the self-service option or you are told goodbye. No more waiting on hold or we'll phone you back.'
Thankfully, it's not all bad news.
'I'd failed with calling them on a phone just recently, so I chose just to walk into their office to make an appointment. Although it had taken me quite a few visits to get one thing completely done, I was still able to get some help from them at least,' said member @Jsmile.
'I think, they do need some improvement, the call handling, the online system and the whole department management. And I must say that there are somehow some very nice staff there trying to help through this dark tunnel.'
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