Accessing welfare payments from Centrelink has long been a trying experience for many of our members here at the SDC–and many could attest to the complications and frustrations of encountering bureaucracy in accessing financial assistance, even when your need is dire.

It's a situation that Maryanne Watts, a 60-year-old living in rural Queensland, grappled with while waiting months for her unavoidable and urgent jobseeker payments.

This is despite being a former Centrelink employee working for a small business assistance program.

As COVID-19 hit and Maryanne ran out of her early super drawdown, she applied for Jobseeker again, expecting a bumpy and exhaustive process. But even she was shocked at her difficult time, with the application undergoing lengthy delays that took months.

Seniors like Maryanne Watts had been experiencing long waits for their jobseekers payments. Credit: Teona Swift/Pexels

‘The first time it got held up was because they had asked for bank account details from the 23rd of February,’ Watts said. The earliest date on the bank statement she had submitted was March 9.

'I hadn’t actually had any transactions between the 23rd and the ninth. But because the date of the 23rd wasn’t on it, they didn’t accept it. So I had to go further back.'

Maryanne believed that this delayed her application, so she spent time trying to contact Centrelink, calling often and getting left on hold for lengthy periods.

'Every day, you try not to think about money, you try to get on with other stuff, whatever,' she says. 'But it’s always there. It’s this tension that’s always in your body.'

It got to a point where Centrelink’s contact service seemed to be at a standstill, with no one replying to her.

A couple of weeks later, this was further complicated when they asked her to provide an extra mortgage statement. The long wait came just as her bills piled up one by one.

Maryanne said she was told thrice that her application was marked ‘urgent’ due to financial hardship. Text messages came, promising someone would be in touch with her regarding her application.

‘But they didn’t,’ she said.

A Centrelink worker told her it was their policy to wait and have applicants call them instead.

Watts' struggles are not an isolated incident; instead, it highlights a common issue many applicants across Australia face.

Kristen O’Connell believes the longer waiting time is due to Centrelink’s understaffed call centres. Credit: TK Kurikawa/Shutterstock

According to Kristen O’Connell, a spokesperson for the Antipoverty Centre, this was mainly due to Centrelink's understaffing of call centres.

‘What we know from people who have an urgent need for support is that it is nearly impossible to get through the Centrelink bureaucracy to get that support as quickly as you need it,’ O’Connell pointed out. ‘This is not an outlier situation.’

Call waiting times have been ugly for over a year, with the 2021-2022 financial year data revealing a 25% increase in 'congestion messages'.

When you add incorrect recordings of applicants' information, missing notations regarding hardship, and conflicting advice from customer service representatives–it's no wonder why people have such a tough time applying for and receiving payments.

Maryanne's wait ended after an exhausting six weeks when her application finally got approved.

Unfortunately, some people had to wait longer than Maryanne. O’Connell said that her application for the disability support pension took ten months of back and forth. She had diligently followed up every two weeks for her claim, only to be told she needed to provide more information.

‘Because of all of the work I do supporting other people with this process, I know that I am not alone,’ O’Connell added.

Hank Jongen, Services Australia’s spokesperson, said that most Jobseeker claims were processed within two weeks.

‘We’re sorry to those who are waiting longer. This is our busiest time of year with tax time and millions of families balancing their payments,’ Jongen explained.

‘We sincerely apologise to Ms Watts and have extended the offer to work directly with her to ensure she’s receiving all available support.’

‘We’re actively recruiting, but our staffing is returning to more regular levels now that pandemic-era work and associated extra resourcing has concluded. We’ve bolstered our emergency response capability with 850 staff directly supporting frontline service delivery. We’re drawing from this to help meet current demands,’ he said.

Key Takeaways

• Maryanne Watts, a 60-year-old from rural Queensland, has struggled to process her Jobseeker application for months despite being marked as 'urgent' due to financial hardship.
  
• Kristin O’Connell from the Antipoverty Centre highlighted that understaffing of Centrelink's call centres and long waiting times were significant hurdles for those in urgent need. She also endured a long process for her disability support pension.
  
• Watts' experience is not an isolated one, with Centrelink call waiting times having increased
  by 25% over the past year.
  
• Despite apologies from Services Australia's spokesperson and assurance of additional recruitment, delays continue and directly impact the lives of applicants like Maryanne Watts.
  

Suppose you ever find yourself in a predicament like Maryanne's where your voice isn’t being heard or your information isn’t being considered. Take the necessary steps to ensure you won't miss out on the financial aid you are entitled to.

If a customer service agent has told you that your case hasn't been marked for urgent processing due to financial hardship, remain assertive and be persistent with your queries as you patiently wait for your payments, as you'll need plenty of evidence if you ever plan to present your case to a supervisor.

Inquire about any restrictions or loopholes regarding your payment, as understanding these documents would help make the overall process smoother.

Finally, don't forget that you have a right regarding welfare requests. Don't hesitate to contact the Antipoverty Centre should you have further questions or needs–they’ll happily hear you out and do what they can to ensure a satisfying resolution for all parties.

What do you think of this story, members? Have you encountered a similar predicament? Share your experience in the comments below!

 

[Maurice_McGahey]

Accessing welfare payments from Centrelink has long been a trying experience for many of our members here at the SDC–and many could attest to the complications and frustrations of encountering bureaucracy in accessing financial assistance, even when your need is dire.

It's a situation that Maryanne Watts, a 60-year-old living in rural Queensland, grappled with while waiting months for her unavoidable and urgent jobseeker payments.

This is despite being a former Centrelink employee working for a small business assistance program.

As COVID-19 hit and Maryanne ran out of her early super drawdown, she applied for Jobseeker again, expecting a bumpy and exhaustive process. But even she was shocked at her difficult time, with the application undergoing lengthy delays that took months.

View attachment 27429

Seniors like Maryanne Watts had been experiencing long waits for their jobseekers payments. Credit: Teona Swift/Pexels

‘The first time it got held up was because they had asked for bank account details from the 23rd of February,’ Watts said. The earliest date on the bank statement she had submitted was March 9.

'I hadn’t actually had any transactions between the 23rd and the ninth. But because the date of the 23rd wasn’t on it, they didn’t accept it. So I had to go further back.'

Maryanne believed that this delayed her application, so she spent time trying to contact Centrelink, calling often and getting left on hold for lengthy periods.

'Every day, you try not to think about money, you try to get on with other stuff, whatever,' she says. 'But it’s always there. It’s this tension that’s always in your body.'

It got to a point where Centrelink’s contact service seemed to be at a standstill, with no one replying to her.

A couple of weeks later, this was further complicated when they asked her to provide an extra mortgage statement. The long wait came just as her bills piled up one by one.

Maryanne said she was told thrice that her application was marked ‘urgent’ due to financial hardship. Text messages came, promising someone would be in touch with her regarding her application.

‘But they didn’t,’ she said.

A Centrelink worker told her it was their policy to wait and have applicants call them instead.

Watts' struggles are not an isolated incident; instead, it highlights a common issue many applicants across Australia face.

View attachment 27430

Kristen O’Connell believes the longer waiting time is due to Centrelink’s understaffed call centres. Credit: TK Kurikawa/Shutterstock

According to Kristen O’Connell, a spokesperson for the Antipoverty Centre, this was mainly due to Centrelink's understaffing of call centres.

‘What we know from people who have an urgent need for support is that it is nearly impossible to get through the Centrelink bureaucracy to get that support as quickly as you need it,’ O’Connell pointed out. ‘This is not an outlier situation.’

Call waiting times have been ugly for over a year, with the 2021-2022 financial year data revealing a 25% increase in 'congestion messages'.

When you add incorrect recordings of applicants' information, missing notations regarding hardship, and conflicting advice from customer service representatives–it's no wonder why people have such a tough time applying for and receiving payments.

Maryanne's wait ended after an exhausting six weeks when her application finally got approved.

Unfortunately, some people had to wait longer than Maryanne. O’Connell said that her application for the disability support pension took ten months of back and forth. She had diligently followed up every two weeks for her claim, only to be told she needed to provide more information.

‘Because of all of the work I do supporting other people with this process, I know that I am not alone,’ O’Connell added.

Hank Jongen, Services Australia’s spokesperson, said that most Jobseeker claims were processed within two weeks.

‘We’re sorry to those who are waiting longer. This is our busiest time of year with tax time and millions of families balancing their payments,’ Jongen explained.

‘We sincerely apologise to Ms Watts and have extended the offer to work directly with her to ensure she’s receiving all available support.’

‘We’re actively recruiting, but our staffing is returning to more regular levels now that pandemic-era work and associated extra resourcing has concluded. We’ve bolstered our emergency response capability with 850 staff directly supporting frontline service delivery. We’re drawing from this to help meet current demands,’ he said.

Key Takeaways

• Maryanne Watts, a 60-year-old from rural Queensland, has struggled to process her Jobseeker application for months despite being marked as 'urgent' due to financial hardship.
• Kristin O’Connell from the Antipoverty Centre highlighted that understaffing of Centrelink's call centres and long waiting times were significant hurdles for those in urgent need. She also endured a long process for her disability support pension.
• Watts' experience is not an isolated one, with Centrelink call waiting times having increased
  by 25% over the past year.
• Despite apologies from Services Australia's spokesperson and assurance of additional recruitment, delays continue and directly impact the lives of applicants like Maryanne Watts.

Suppose you ever find yourself in a predicament like Maryanne's where your voice isn’t being heard or your information isn’t being considered. Take the necessary steps to ensure you won't miss out on the financial aid you are entitled to.

If a customer service agent has told you that your case hasn't been marked for urgent processing due to financial hardship, remain assertive and be persistent with your queries as you patiently wait for your payments, as you'll need plenty of evidence if you ever plan to present your case to a supervisor.

Inquire about any restrictions or loopholes regarding your payment, as understanding these documents would help make the overall process smoother.

Finally, don't forget that you have a right regarding welfare requests. Don't hesitate to contact the Antipoverty Centre should you have further questions or needs–they’ll happily hear you out and do what they can to ensure a satisfying resolution for all parties.

What do you think of this story, members? Have you encountered a similar predicament? Share your experience in the comments below!

I have found, Generally ... that is under normal circumstances ... the front counter staff of Centrelink are very helpful. I would like to commend the front counter staff of Gladstone, Gympie, Tewantin and Browns Plains branches. Unfortunately, the "backroom" boys and girls got to be "backroom" by showing that they wholeheartedly supported the previous Coalition government's policy of, "If you are on a pension of anytype, WE WILL FIND YOU AND YOU WILL GO TO GAOL!" That mindset is still in their comfy gazetted public service positions. They will be for some time yet. You could call it policy inertia.

There is really only one way to move Centrelink along to Post-Morrison times. GET POLITICAL! Take your problems to your local federal member of parliament. Join your local member's branch and ACTIVATE! Make our politicians fear us. At present they love the old Aussie, "What can I do? I'm only one person!" apathy. HECK! We will even fill our cars at 50 cents more a litre than drive a couple of kilometres more to get cheaper fuel. We deserve the bastards that we presently have. Let's deserve better.

 

[IAN3005]

Frank Jogans is nothing but di** on a six figures salary

 

[CristinaV]

Accessing welfare payments from Centrelink has long been a trying experience for many of our members here at the SDC–and many could attest to the complications and frustrations of encountering bureaucracy in accessing financial assistance, even when your need is dire.

It's a situation that Maryanne Watts, a 60-year-old living in rural Queensland, grappled with while waiting months for her unavoidable and urgent jobseeker payments.

This is despite being a former Centrelink employee working for a small business assistance program.

As COVID-19 hit and Maryanne ran out of her early super drawdown, she applied for Jobseeker again, expecting a bumpy and exhaustive process. But even she was shocked at her difficult time, with the application undergoing lengthy delays that took months.

View attachment 27429

Seniors like Maryanne Watts had been experiencing long waits for their jobseekers payments. Credit: Teona Swift/Pexels

‘The first time it got held up was because they had asked for bank account details from the 23rd of February,’ Watts said. The earliest date on the bank statement she had submitted was March 9.

'I hadn’t actually had any transactions between the 23rd and the ninth. But because the date of the 23rd wasn’t on it, they didn’t accept it. So I had to go further back.'

Maryanne believed that this delayed her application, so she spent time trying to contact Centrelink, calling often and getting left on hold for lengthy periods.

'Every day, you try not to think about money, you try to get on with other stuff, whatever,' she says. 'But it’s always there. It’s this tension that’s always in your body.'

It got to a point where Centrelink’s contact service seemed to be at a standstill, with no one replying to her.

A couple of weeks later, this was further complicated when they asked her to provide an extra mortgage statement. The long wait came just as her bills piled up one by one.

Maryanne said she was told thrice that her application was marked ‘urgent’ due to financial hardship. Text messages came, promising someone would be in touch with her regarding her application.

‘But they didn’t,’ she said.

A Centrelink worker told her it was their policy to wait and have applicants call them instead.

Watts' struggles are not an isolated incident; instead, it highlights a common issue many applicants across Australia face.

View attachment 27430

Kristen O’Connell believes the longer waiting time is due to Centrelink’s understaffed call centres. Credit: TK Kurikawa/Shutterstock

According to Kristen O’Connell, a spokesperson for the Antipoverty Centre, this was mainly due to Centrelink's understaffing of call centres.

‘What we know from people who have an urgent need for support is that it is nearly impossible to get through the Centrelink bureaucracy to get that support as quickly as you need it,’ O’Connell pointed out. ‘This is not an outlier situation.’

Call waiting times have been ugly for over a year, with the 2021-2022 financial year data revealing a 25% increase in 'congestion messages'.

When you add incorrect recordings of applicants' information, missing notations regarding hardship, and conflicting advice from customer service representatives–it's no wonder why people have such a tough time applying for and receiving payments.

Maryanne's wait ended after an exhausting six weeks when her application finally got approved.

Unfortunately, some people had to wait longer than Maryanne. O’Connell said that her application for the disability support pension took ten months of back and forth. She had diligently followed up every two weeks for her claim, only to be told she needed to provide more information.

‘Because of all of the work I do supporting other people with this process, I know that I am not alone,’ O’Connell added.

Hank Jongen, Services Australia’s spokesperson, said that most Jobseeker claims were processed within two weeks.

‘We’re sorry to those who are waiting longer. This is our busiest time of year with tax time and millions of families balancing their payments,’ Jongen explained.

‘We sincerely apologise to Ms Watts and have extended the offer to work directly with her to ensure she’s receiving all available support.’

‘We’re actively recruiting, but our staffing is returning to more regular levels now that pandemic-era work and associated extra resourcing has concluded. We’ve bolstered our emergency response capability with 850 staff directly supporting frontline service delivery. We’re drawing from this to help meet current demands,’ he said.

Key Takeaways

• Maryanne Watts, a 60-year-old from rural Queensland, has struggled to process her Jobseeker application for months despite being marked as 'urgent' due to financial hardship.
• Kristin O’Connell from the Antipoverty Centre highlighted that understaffing of Centrelink's call centres and long waiting times were significant hurdles for those in urgent need. She also endured a long process for her disability support pension.
• Watts' experience is not an isolated one, with Centrelink call waiting times having increased
  by 25% over the past year.
• Despite apologies from Services Australia's spokesperson and assurance of additional recruitment, delays continue and directly impact the lives of applicants like Maryanne Watts.

Suppose you ever find yourself in a predicament like Maryanne's where your voice isn’t being heard or your information isn’t being considered. Take the necessary steps to ensure you won't miss out on the financial aid you are entitled to.

If a customer service agent has told you that your case hasn't been marked for urgent processing due to financial hardship, remain assertive and be persistent with your queries as you patiently wait for your payments, as you'll need plenty of evidence if you ever plan to present your case to a supervisor.

Inquire about any restrictions or loopholes regarding your payment, as understanding these documents would help make the overall process smoother.

Finally, don't forget that you have a right regarding welfare requests. Don't hesitate to contact the Antipoverty Centre should you have further questions or needs–they’ll happily hear you out and do what they can to ensure a satisfying resolution for all parties.

What do you think of this story, members? Have you encountered a similar predicament? Share your experience in the comments below!

I did not have such a hard time when I applied for the pension. But still I had issues. I learned early on not to contact them by phone as I could not get through. So went directly to Centrelink office. Yes the documents I presented were not enough to I had to get others. Yes the waiting period was longer than anticipated. And every consultant you see at Centrelink gives you different information. I don't accent the justification that they do not have enough people to answer the phones.
I have a really BIG concern though - they know what goes in and what goes out of my bank account. I never gave them permission. How legal is this?

 

[Jen77au]

Accessing welfare payments from Centrelink has long been a trying experience for many of our members here at the SDC–and many could attest to the complications and frustrations of encountering bureaucracy in accessing financial assistance, even when your need is dire.

It's a situation that Maryanne Watts, a 60-year-old living in rural Queensland, grappled with while waiting months for her unavoidable and urgent jobseeker payments.

This is despite being a former Centrelink employee working for a small business assistance program.

As COVID-19 hit and Maryanne ran out of her early super drawdown, she applied for Jobseeker again, expecting a bumpy and exhaustive process. But even she was shocked at her difficult time, with the application undergoing lengthy delays that took months.

View attachment 27429

Seniors like Maryanne Watts had been experiencing long waits for their jobseekers payments. Credit: Teona Swift/Pexels

‘The first time it got held up was because they had asked for bank account details from the 23rd of February,’ Watts said. The earliest date on the bank statement she had submitted was March 9.

'I hadn’t actually had any transactions between the 23rd and the ninth. But because the date of the 23rd wasn’t on it, they didn’t accept it. So I had to go further back.'

Maryanne believed that this delayed her application, so she spent time trying to contact Centrelink, calling often and getting left on hold for lengthy periods.

'Every day, you try not to think about money, you try to get on with other stuff, whatever,' she says. 'But it’s always there. It’s this tension that’s always in your body.'

It got to a point where Centrelink’s contact service seemed to be at a standstill, with no one replying to her.

A couple of weeks later, this was further complicated when they asked her to provide an extra mortgage statement. The long wait came just as her bills piled up one by one.

Maryanne said she was told thrice that her application was marked ‘urgent’ due to financial hardship. Text messages came, promising someone would be in touch with her regarding her application.

‘But they didn’t,’ she said.

A Centrelink worker told her it was their policy to wait and have applicants call them instead.

Watts' struggles are not an isolated incident; instead, it highlights a common issue many applicants across Australia face.

View attachment 27430

Kristen O’Connell believes the longer waiting time is due to Centrelink’s understaffed call centres. Credit: TK Kurikawa/Shutterstock

According to Kristen O’Connell, a spokesperson for the Antipoverty Centre, this was mainly due to Centrelink's understaffing of call centres.

‘What we know from people who have an urgent need for support is that it is nearly impossible to get through the Centrelink bureaucracy to get that support as quickly as you need it,’ O’Connell pointed out. ‘This is not an outlier situation.’

Call waiting times have been ugly for over a year, with the 2021-2022 financial year data revealing a 25% increase in 'congestion messages'.

When you add incorrect recordings of applicants' information, missing notations regarding hardship, and conflicting advice from customer service representatives–it's no wonder why people have such a tough time applying for and receiving payments.

Maryanne's wait ended after an exhausting six weeks when her application finally got approved.

Unfortunately, some people had to wait longer than Maryanne. O’Connell said that her application for the disability support pension took ten months of back and forth. She had diligently followed up every two weeks for her claim, only to be told she needed to provide more information.

‘Because of all of the work I do supporting other people with this process, I know that I am not alone,’ O’Connell added.

Hank Jongen, Services Australia’s spokesperson, said that most Jobseeker claims were processed within two weeks.

‘We’re sorry to those who are waiting longer. This is our busiest time of year with tax time and millions of families balancing their payments,’ Jongen explained.

‘We sincerely apologise to Ms Watts and have extended the offer to work directly with her to ensure she’s receiving all available support.’

‘We’re actively recruiting, but our staffing is returning to more regular levels now that pandemic-era work and associated extra resourcing has concluded. We’ve bolstered our emergency response capability with 850 staff directly supporting frontline service delivery. We’re drawing from this to help meet current demands,’ he said.

Key Takeaways

• Maryanne Watts, a 60-year-old from rural Queensland, has struggled to process her Jobseeker application for months despite being marked as 'urgent' due to financial hardship.
• Kristin O’Connell from the Antipoverty Centre highlighted that understaffing of Centrelink's call centres and long waiting times were significant hurdles for those in urgent need. She also endured a long process for her disability support pension.
• Watts' experience is not an isolated one, with Centrelink call waiting times having increased
  by 25% over the past year.
• Despite apologies from Services Australia's spokesperson and assurance of additional recruitment, delays continue and directly impact the lives of applicants like Maryanne Watts.

Suppose you ever find yourself in a predicament like Maryanne's where your voice isn’t being heard or your information isn’t being considered. Take the necessary steps to ensure you won't miss out on the financial aid you are entitled to.

If a customer service agent has told you that your case hasn't been marked for urgent processing due to financial hardship, remain assertive and be persistent with your queries as you patiently wait for your payments, as you'll need plenty of evidence if you ever plan to present your case to a supervisor.

Inquire about any restrictions or loopholes regarding your payment, as understanding these documents would help make the overall process smoother.

Finally, don't forget that you have a right regarding welfare requests. Don't hesitate to contact the Antipoverty Centre should you have further questions or needs–they’ll happily hear you out and do what they can to ensure a satisfying resolution for all parties.

What do you think of this story, members? Have you encountered a similar predicament? Share your experience in the comments below!

The system is a joke! I'm 46, on DSP due to mental health. However I signed up with a disability employment agency in March as I know I need the support to work a part time job. I want to work. Regularly applying for jobs, even cleaning, I'm continually being knocked back because I haven't worked in a while. However, to be able to look for work through the DES support agency, I need a support officer from Centrelink to call me and approve over the phone that I'm fit to work! I'm still waiting for the call...

On the other hand, I have a friend who has OA in her neck and spine, fibromyalgia and that's only the beginning. Yet they are refusing to give her DSP because she is only 40 years old .

A few years ago another friend who's husband had passed away leaving her to raise 2 young daughters, was told she was too young to receive a widow's pension!

The system needs a major overhaul

 

[Januvia1952]

Accessing welfare payments from Centrelink has long been a trying experience for many of our members here at the SDC–and many could attest to the complications and frustrations of encountering bureaucracy in accessing financial assistance, even when your need is dire.

It's a situation that Maryanne Watts, a 60-year-old living in rural Queensland, grappled with while waiting months for her unavoidable and urgent jobseeker payments.

This is despite being a former Centrelink employee working for a small business assistance program.

As COVID-19 hit and Maryanne ran out of her early super drawdown, she applied for Jobseeker again, expecting a bumpy and exhaustive process. But even she was shocked at her difficult time, with the application undergoing lengthy delays that took months.

View attachment 27429

Seniors like Maryanne Watts had been experiencing long waits for their jobseekers payments. Credit: Teona Swift/Pexels

‘The first time it got held up was because they had asked for bank account details from the 23rd of February,’ Watts said. The earliest date on the bank statement she had submitted was March 9.

'I hadn’t actually had any transactions between the 23rd and the ninth. But because the date of the 23rd wasn’t on it, they didn’t accept it. So I had to go further back.'

Maryanne believed that this delayed her application, so she spent time trying to contact Centrelink, calling often and getting left on hold for lengthy periods.

'Every day, you try not to think about money, you try to get on with other stuff, whatever,' she says. 'But it’s always there. It’s this tension that’s always in your body.'

It got to a point where Centrelink’s contact service seemed to be at a standstill, with no one replying to her.

A couple of weeks later, this was further complicated when they asked her to provide an extra mortgage statement. The long wait came just as her bills piled up one by one.

Maryanne said she was told thrice that her application was marked ‘urgent’ due to financial hardship. Text messages came, promising someone would be in touch with her regarding her application.

‘But they didn’t,’ she said.

A Centrelink worker told her it was their policy to wait and have applicants call them instead.

Watts' struggles are not an isolated incident; instead, it highlights a common issue many applicants across Australia face.

View attachment 27430

Kristen O’Connell believes the longer waiting time is due to Centrelink’s understaffed call centres. Credit: TK Kurikawa/Shutterstock

According to Kristen O’Connell, a spokesperson for the Antipoverty Centre, this was mainly due to Centrelink's understaffing of call centres.

‘What we know from people who have an urgent need for support is that it is nearly impossible to get through the Centrelink bureaucracy to get that support as quickly as you need it,’ O’Connell pointed out. ‘This is not an outlier situation.’

Call waiting times have been ugly for over a year, with the 2021-2022 financial year data revealing a 25% increase in 'congestion messages'.

When you add incorrect recordings of applicants' information, missing notations regarding hardship, and conflicting advice from customer service representatives–it's no wonder why people have such a tough time applying for and receiving payments.

Maryanne's wait ended after an exhausting six weeks when her application finally got approved.

Unfortunately, some people had to wait longer than Maryanne. O’Connell said that her application for the disability support pension took ten months of back and forth. She had diligently followed up every two weeks for her claim, only to be told she needed to provide more information.

‘Because of all of the work I do supporting other people with this process, I know that I am not alone,’ O’Connell added.

Hank Jongen, Services Australia’s spokesperson, said that most Jobseeker claims were processed within two weeks.

‘We’re sorry to those who are waiting longer. This is our busiest time of year with tax time and millions of families balancing their payments,’ Jongen explained.

‘We sincerely apologise to Ms Watts and have extended the offer to work directly with her to ensure she’s receiving all available support.’

‘We’re actively recruiting, but our staffing is returning to more regular levels now that pandemic-era work and associated extra resourcing has concluded. We’ve bolstered our emergency response capability with 850 staff directly supporting frontline service delivery. We’re drawing from this to help meet current demands,’ he said.

Key Takeaways

• Maryanne Watts, a 60-year-old from rural Queensland, has struggled to process her Jobseeker application for months despite being marked as 'urgent' due to financial hardship.
• Kristin O’Connell from the Antipoverty Centre highlighted that understaffing of Centrelink's call centres and long waiting times were significant hurdles for those in urgent need. She also endured a long process for her disability support pension.
• Watts' experience is not an isolated one, with Centrelink call waiting times having increased
  by 25% over the past year.
• Despite apologies from Services Australia's spokesperson and assurance of additional recruitment, delays continue and directly impact the lives of applicants like Maryanne Watts.

Suppose you ever find yourself in a predicament like Maryanne's where your voice isn’t being heard or your information isn’t being considered. Take the necessary steps to ensure you won't miss out on the financial aid you are entitled to.

If a customer service agent has told you that your case hasn't been marked for urgent processing due to financial hardship, remain assertive and be persistent with your queries as you patiently wait for your payments, as you'll need plenty of evidence if you ever plan to present your case to a supervisor.

Inquire about any restrictions or loopholes regarding your payment, as understanding these documents would help make the overall process smoother.

Finally, don't forget that you have a right regarding welfare requests. Don't hesitate to contact the Antipoverty Centre should you have further questions or needs–they’ll happily hear you out and do what they can to ensure a satisfying resolution for all parties.

What do you think of this story, members? Have you encountered a similar predicament? Share your experience in the comments below!

Processed in two weeks ? On what planet?
Not my wife’s experience. The hoops I had to go through to get the age pension! Ridiculous!

 

[mylittletibbies]

I have posted several times before about my trials and. tribulations with Centrelink.
The fastest way to get your problems sorted out is to go through your local member. It's amazing how fast things start to happen..It is not the front desk staff that are the problem, they have a thankless job. It's the powers on high in Centrelink that create the stuff ups.
I was even told legal action would be taken against me for continually not submitting forms they had requested, even though I had submitted them 3
times, the second time by registered mail and the third it was done by computer in the bus that visits country town, by their own staff.They cut off my pension, my husband's and disabled daughters pensions
Sorted out in one day when local member got involved, no apology from Centrelink though for the stress they caused me
This has happened to me three times, wach time when moving home and buying a new property
God knows where all this private financial information ends up if they can't find it. It's very worrying in these days if identity theft

 

[CristinaV]

I have found, Generally ... that is under normal circumstances ... the front counter staff of Centrelink are very helpful. I would like to commend the front counter staff of Gladstone, Gympie, Tewantin and Browns Plains branches. Unfortunately, the "backroom" boys and girls got to be "backroom" by showing that they wholeheartedly supported the previous Coalition government's policy of, "If you are on a pension of anytype, WE WILL FIND YOU AND YOU WILL GO TO GAOL!" That mindset is still in their comfy gazetted public service positions. They will be for some time yet. You could call it policy inertia.

There is really only one way to move Centrelink along to Post-Morrison times. GET POLITICAL! Take your problems to your local federal member of parliament. Join your local member's branch and ACTIVATE! Make our politicians fear us. At present they love the old Aussie, "What can I do? I'm only one person!" apathy. HECK! We will even fill our cars at 50 cents more a litre than drive a couple of kilometres more to get cheaper fuel. We deserve the bastards that we presently have. Let's deserve better.

It takes a Labor supporter to criticise the previous govt. After 2 years, can't you move on? Absolutely unbelievable you people.

 

[Suzanne rose]

I've worked all my life but due to a simple surgery going horribly wrong I have suffered not only pain but depression and anxiety. My doctor and psychologist told ne to apply for DSP. So I did back I early February.

I finally had a phone interview 11th of August 6 months after applying.

The lady told me I may need to reaply as from the 1st of April they are now accepting Psychologist reports which apparently prior to this it was psychiatrist reports although when I applied it stated either psychologist or psychiatrist reports.

It's now psychologist reports which I gave them but because my application was prior to the 1st April I may need to do a complete report

I hardly leave my room , which is why I'm on here so much
Interview was over a week ago, and still in limbo not knowing if I need to apply again. I asked her if I should just reply, and she said no, that they will let me know. To me, if they fint approve it and I need to submit again, then this is just taking up time.

I will be submitting everything exactly the same as last time, only difference. I will add new bank balances.

 

[Rob44]

I have found, Generally ... that is under normal circumstances ... the front counter staff of Centrelink are very helpful. I would like to commend the front counter staff of Gladstone, Gympie, Tewantin and Browns Plains branches. Unfortunately, the "backroom" boys and girls got to be "backroom" by showing that they wholeheartedly supported the previous Coalition government's policy of, "If you are on a pension of anytype, WE WILL FIND YOU AND YOU WILL GO TO GAOL!" That mindset is still in their comfy gazetted public service positions. They will be for some time yet. You could call it policy inertia.

There is really only one way to move Centrelink along to Post-Morrison times. GET POLITICAL! Take your problems to your local federal member of parliament. Join your local member's branch and ACTIVATE! Make our politicians fear us. At present they love the old Aussie, "What can I do? I'm only one person!" apathy. HECK! We will even fill our cars at 50 cents more a litre than drive a couple of kilometres more to get cheaper fuel. We deserve the bastards that we presently have. Let's deserve better.

CentreLink, as an organisation, seems to be nothing but an obscene word.

 

[Ricki]

I've worked all my life but due to a simple surgery going horribly wrong I have suffered not only pain but depression and anxiety. My doctor and psychologist told ne to apply for DSP. So I did back I early February.

I finally had a phone interview 11th of August 6 months after applying.

The lady told me I may need to reaply as from the 1st of April they are now accepting Psychologist reports which apparently prior to this it was psychiatrist reports although when I applied it stated either psychologist or psychiatrist reports.

It's now psychologist reports which I gave them but because my application was prior to the 1st April I may need to do a complete report

I hardly leave my room , which is why I'm on here so much
Interview was over a week ago, and still in limbo not knowing if I need to apply again. I asked her if I should just reply, and she said no, that they will let me know. To me, if they fint approve it and I need to submit again, then this is just taking up time.

I will be submitting everything exactly the same as last time, only difference. I will add new bank balances.

Sending you positive thoughts

 

[mylittletibbies]

I've worked all my life but due to a simple surgery going horribly wrong I have suffered not only pain but depression and anxiety. My doctor and psychologist told ne to apply for DSP. So I did back I early February.

I finally had a phone interview 11th of August 6 months after applying.

The lady told me I may need to reaply as from the 1st of April they are now accepting Psychologist reports which apparently prior to this it was psychiatrist reports although when I applied it stated either psychologist or psychiatrist reports.

It's now psychologist reports which I gave them but because my application was prior to the 1st April I may need to do a complete report

I hardly leave my room , which is why I'm on here so much
Interview was over a week ago, and still in limbo not knowing if I need to apply again. I asked her if I should just reply, and she said no, that they will let me know. To me, if they fint approve it and I need to submit again, then this is just taking up time.

I will be submitting everything exactly the same as last time, only difference. I will add new bank balances.

So sorry for you Suzanne Rose, know exactly how you feel
In applying for disability support for my daughter many years ago now I went through the same thing, even though I had been receiving a disability child allowance for 16 years and it should have just been an immediate switch over
When I moved states they made me reapply, maybe they thought that by crossing the Nullabor my daughter's disability disappeared??
They even used to make us requalify every 5 years back in those days, even my friend whose son has downs syndrome. I wonder if they had to justify their jobs or something. Thank goodness that doesn't happen any more.
I got knocked back for a carer payment even though my daughter was born disabled and also suffered from schizophrenia, had to appeal it to get a result. The stress they cause people is indescribable.
I hope you get a result soon, if not try your local member, mine has been great.

 

[Shaunada]

Accessing welfare payments from Centrelink has long been a trying experience for many of our members here at the SDC–and many could attest to the complications and frustrations of encountering bureaucracy in accessing financial assistance, even when your need is dire.

It's a situation that Maryanne Watts, a 60-year-old living in rural Queensland, grappled with while waiting months for her unavoidable and urgent jobseeker payments.

This is despite being a former Centrelink employee working for a small business assistance program.

As COVID-19 hit and Maryanne ran out of her early super drawdown, she applied for Jobseeker again, expecting a bumpy and exhaustive process. But even she was shocked at her difficult time, with the application undergoing lengthy delays that took months.

View attachment 27429

Seniors like Maryanne Watts had been experiencing long waits for their jobseekers payments. Credit: Teona Swift/Pexels

‘The first time it got held up was because they had asked for bank account details from the 23rd of February,’ Watts said. The earliest date on the bank statement she had submitted was March 9.

'I hadn’t actually had any transactions between the 23rd and the ninth. But because the date of the 23rd wasn’t on it, they didn’t accept it. So I had to go further back.'

Maryanne believed that this delayed her application, so she spent time trying to contact Centrelink, calling often and getting left on hold for lengthy periods.

'Every day, you try not to think about money, you try to get on with other stuff, whatever,' she says. 'But it’s always there. It’s this tension that’s always in your body.'

It got to a point where Centrelink’s contact service seemed to be at a standstill, with no one replying to her.

A couple of weeks later, this was further complicated when they asked her to provide an extra mortgage statement. The long wait came just as her bills piled up one by one.

Maryanne said she was told thrice that her application was marked ‘urgent’ due to financial hardship. Text messages came, promising someone would be in touch with her regarding her application.

‘But they didn’t,’ she said.

A Centrelink worker told her it was their policy to wait and have applicants call them instead.

Watts' struggles are not an isolated incident; instead, it highlights a common issue many applicants across Australia face.

View attachment 27430

Kristen O’Connell believes the longer waiting time is due to Centrelink’s understaffed call centres. Credit: TK Kurikawa/Shutterstock

According to Kristen O’Connell, a spokesperson for the Antipoverty Centre, this was mainly due to Centrelink's understaffing of call centres.

‘What we know from people who have an urgent need for support is that it is nearly impossible to get through the Centrelink bureaucracy to get that support as quickly as you need it,’ O’Connell pointed out. ‘This is not an outlier situation.’

Call waiting times have been ugly for over a year, with the 2021-2022 financial year data revealing a 25% increase in 'congestion messages'.

When you add incorrect recordings of applicants' information, missing notations regarding hardship, and conflicting advice from customer service representatives–it's no wonder why people have such a tough time applying for and receiving payments.

Maryanne's wait ended after an exhausting six weeks when her application finally got approved.

Unfortunately, some people had to wait longer than Maryanne. O’Connell said that her application for the disability support pension took ten months of back and forth. She had diligently followed up every two weeks for her claim, only to be told she needed to provide more information.

‘Because of all of the work I do supporting other people with this process, I know that I am not alone,’ O’Connell added.

Hank Jongen, Services Australia’s spokesperson, said that most Jobseeker claims were processed within two weeks.

‘We’re sorry to those who are waiting longer. This is our busiest time of year with tax time and millions of families balancing their payments,’ Jongen explained.

‘We sincerely apologise to Ms Watts and have extended the offer to work directly with her to ensure she’s receiving all available support.’

‘We’re actively recruiting, but our staffing is returning to more regular levels now that pandemic-era work and associated extra resourcing has concluded. We’ve bolstered our emergency response capability with 850 staff directly supporting frontline service delivery. We’re drawing from this to help meet current demands,’ he said.

Key Takeaways

• Maryanne Watts, a 60-year-old from rural Queensland, has struggled to process her Jobseeker application for months despite being marked as 'urgent' due to financial hardship.
• Kristin O’Connell from the Antipoverty Centre highlighted that understaffing of Centrelink's call centres and long waiting times were significant hurdles for those in urgent need. She also endured a long process for her disability support pension.
• Watts' experience is not an isolated one, with Centrelink call waiting times having increased
  by 25% over the past year.
• Despite apologies from Services Australia's spokesperson and assurance of additional recruitment, delays continue and directly impact the lives of applicants like Maryanne Watts.

Suppose you ever find yourself in a predicament like Maryanne's where your voice isn’t being heard or your information isn’t being considered. Take the necessary steps to ensure you won't miss out on the financial aid you are entitled to.

If a customer service agent has told you that your case hasn't been marked for urgent processing due to financial hardship, remain assertive and be persistent with your queries as you patiently wait for your payments, as you'll need plenty of evidence if you ever plan to present your case to a supervisor.

Inquire about any restrictions or loopholes regarding your payment, as understanding these documents would help make the overall process smoother.

Finally, don't forget that you have a right regarding welfare requests. Don't hesitate to contact the Antipoverty Centre should you have further questions or needs–they’ll happily hear you out and do what they can to ensure a satisfying resolution for all parties.

What do you think of this story, members? Have you encountered a similar predicament? Share your experience in the comments below!

When I first registered for the age pension some 8 years ago, the guy who interviewed me, his first words were, “hello, I’m blah blah, now you’re here to tell me how much you want and it’s my job to tell you how little I’m going to give you”. Of course he smiled but he meant it. I’ll never forget that interview, the first I’d ever had with Centrelink and I thought then, boy this is going to be fun!

 

[davidsq]

Centrelink – how I hate the system that de-humanises you & fills you with hopelessness & decisions made by the perception of NAPLAN failed employees – cant read, cant comprehend, cant do basic maths & don’t care.

Examples are twice I have been denied access – the reason – no dogs allowed & I have a Guide dog as legally blind. The Security Guards lack certain orientation in their employment roles.

Then when I turned 66 ½ I received a letter asking if I wanted to change from a Disability Pension to an Aged Pension. I phoned their hotline (40 min wait) & was told a person would phone me back. This occurred the following week & after a discussion I was told I would stay on the same. The following week I received a letter stating I had lost my blind disability pension & would need to reapply with proof of my disability. Again, I called their hotline & the person (after a considerable wait) told me he could not rectify & would need an appointment & present at an office. He at least assisted in making an appointment.

This created 4 weeks of no income for basic living (food, bills).

More Tax money wasted in care support so as to access their local (not so local) CL office for a 15 min scheduled appointment. It ended up taking 45 min. The staff member could not locate Blind Disability Pension rules on her computer & sought assistance. Then said I had not complied but looked pale when I showed the correspondence & the dates of phone calls.

Again, she sought assistance & then said that it was a standard letter to get all people at age 66 ½ onto aged pensions & off of disability pensions & all persons with a disability pension would need yearly validation – Yikes, I might see again & not rely on assistive technology & care support (I failed to realise Centrelink was skilled in ophthalmological miraculous healing skills). I challenged her & she then found there was an Aged Pension (Blind) which has recently been created & lacked some of the benefits of the Disability Pension & due to my age I had to come off of the Disability Pension (Blind). After further polite dialogue she commenced the documentation for this & organised back pay & said I would not have any further yearly validation requests.

I contacted a few Blind organisations & ‘surprise surprise’ ! CL had not briefed any of them as to the changes.

 

[Liz]

Their website is impossible, you have to report your income. I tried again yesterday, no I couldn't make it do it. They say notify them if your income goes up or down, but why do they make it so hard to let them know. It is nearly impossible for me to get to their Office so I suppose it is the phone I will have to try, all because I have a little less income.

 

[Suzanne rose]

Centrelink – how I hate the system that de-humanises you & fills you with hopelessness & decisions made by the perception of NAPLAN failed employees – cant read, cant comprehend, cant do basic maths & don’t care.

Examples are twice I have been denied access – the reason – no dogs allowed & I have a Guide dog as legally blind. The Security Guards lack certain orientation in their employment roles.

Then when I turned 66 ½ I received a letter asking if I wanted to change from a Disability Pension to an Aged Pension. I phoned their hotline (40 min wait) & was told a person would phone me back. This occurred the following week & after a discussion I was told I would stay on the same. The following week I received a letter stating I had lost my blind disability pension & would need to reapply with proof of my disability. Again, I called their hotline & the person (after a considerable wait) told me he could not rectify & would need an appointment & present at an office. He at least assisted in making an appointment.

This created 4 weeks of no income for basic living (food, bills).

More Tax money wasted in care support so as to access their local (not so local) CL office for a 15 min scheduled appointment. It ended up taking 45 min. The staff member could not locate Blind Disability Pension rules on her computer & sought assistance. Then said I had not complied but looked pale when I showed the correspondence & the dates of phone calls.

Again, she sought assistance & then said that it was a standard letter to get all people at age 66 ½ onto aged pensions & off of disability pensions & all persons with a disability pension would need yearly validation – Yikes, I might see again & not rely on assistive technology & care support (I failed to realise Centrelink was skilled in ophthalmological miraculous healing skills). I challenged her & she then found there was an Aged Pension (Blind) which has recently been created & lacked some of the benefits of the Disability Pension & due to my age I had to come off of the Disability Pension (Blind). After further polite dialogue she commenced the documentation for this & organised back pay & said I would not have any further yearly validation requests.

I contacted a few Blind organisations & ‘surprise surprise’ ! CL had not briefed any of them as to the changes.

I'm sorry you had to go through this , so unfair

 

[Suzanne rose]

Their website is impossible, you have to report your income. I tried again yesterday, no I couldn't make it do it. They say notify them if your income goes up or down, but why do they make it so hard to let them know. It is nearly impossible for me to get to their Office so I suppose it is the phone I will have to try, all because I have a little less income.

Are you going through my gov and is it your fortnightly income

 

[ToniaKisliakov]

Accessing welfare payments from Centrelink has long been a trying experience for many of our members here at the SDC–and many could attest to the complications and frustrations of encountering bureaucracy in accessing financial assistance, even when your need is dire.

It's a situation that Maryanne Watts, a 60-year-old living in rural Queensland, grappled with while waiting months for her unavoidable and urgent jobseeker payments.

This is despite being a former Centrelink employee working for a small business assistance program.

As COVID-19 hit and Maryanne ran out of her early super drawdown, she applied for Jobseeker again, expecting a bumpy and exhaustive process. But even she was shocked at her difficult time, with the application undergoing lengthy delays that took months.

View attachment 27429

Seniors like Maryanne Watts had been experiencing long waits for their jobseekers payments. Credit: Teona Swift/Pexels

‘The first time it got held up was because they had asked for bank account details from the 23rd of February,’ Watts said. The earliest date on the bank statement she had submitted was March 9.

'I hadn’t actually had any transactions between the 23rd and the ninth. But because the date of the 23rd wasn’t on it, they didn’t accept it. So I had to go further back.'

Maryanne believed that this delayed her application, so she spent time trying to contact Centrelink, calling often and getting left on hold for lengthy periods.

'Every day, you try not to think about money, you try to get on with other stuff, whatever,' she says. 'But it’s always there. It’s this tension that’s always in your body.'

It got to a point where Centrelink’s contact service seemed to be at a standstill, with no one replying to her.

A couple of weeks later, this was further complicated when they asked her to provide an extra mortgage statement. The long wait came just as her bills piled up one by one.

Maryanne said she was told thrice that her application was marked ‘urgent’ due to financial hardship. Text messages came, promising someone would be in touch with her regarding her application.

‘But they didn’t,’ she said.

A Centrelink worker told her it was their policy to wait and have applicants call them instead.

Watts' struggles are not an isolated incident; instead, it highlights a common issue many applicants across Australia face.

View attachment 27430

Kristen O’Connell believes the longer waiting time is due to Centrelink’s understaffed call centres. Credit: TK Kurikawa/Shutterstock

According to Kristen O’Connell, a spokesperson for the Antipoverty Centre, this was mainly due to Centrelink's understaffing of call centres.

‘What we know from people who have an urgent need for support is that it is nearly impossible to get through the Centrelink bureaucracy to get that support as quickly as you need it,’ O’Connell pointed out. ‘This is not an outlier situation.’

Call waiting times have been ugly for over a year, with the 2021-2022 financial year data revealing a 25% increase in 'congestion messages'.

When you add incorrect recordings of applicants' information, missing notations regarding hardship, and conflicting advice from customer service representatives–it's no wonder why people have such a tough time applying for and receiving payments.

Maryanne's wait ended after an exhausting six weeks when her application finally got approved.

Unfortunately, some people had to wait longer than Maryanne. O’Connell said that her application for the disability support pension took ten months of back and forth. She had diligently followed up every two weeks for her claim, only to be told she needed to provide more information.

‘Because of all of the work I do supporting other people with this process, I know that I am not alone,’ O’Connell added.

Hank Jongen, Services Australia’s spokesperson, said that most Jobseeker claims were processed within two weeks.

‘We’re sorry to those who are waiting longer. This is our busiest time of year with tax time and millions of families balancing their payments,’ Jongen explained.

‘We sincerely apologise to Ms Watts and have extended the offer to work directly with her to ensure she’s receiving all available support.’

‘We’re actively recruiting, but our staffing is returning to more regular levels now that pandemic-era work and associated extra resourcing has concluded. We’ve bolstered our emergency response capability with 850 staff directly supporting frontline service delivery. We’re drawing from this to help meet current demands,’ he said.

Key Takeaways

• Maryanne Watts, a 60-year-old from rural Queensland, has struggled to process her Jobseeker application for months despite being marked as 'urgent' due to financial hardship.
• Kristin O’Connell from the Antipoverty Centre highlighted that understaffing of Centrelink's call centres and long waiting times were significant hurdles for those in urgent need. She also endured a long process for her disability support pension.
• Watts' experience is not an isolated one, with Centrelink call waiting times having increased
  by 25% over the past year.
• Despite apologies from Services Australia's spokesperson and assurance of additional recruitment, delays continue and directly impact the lives of applicants like Maryanne Watts.

Suppose you ever find yourself in a predicament like Maryanne's where your voice isn’t being heard or your information isn’t being considered. Take the necessary steps to ensure you won't miss out on the financial aid you are entitled to.

If a customer service agent has told you that your case hasn't been marked for urgent processing due to financial hardship, remain assertive and be persistent with your queries as you patiently wait for your payments, as you'll need plenty of evidence if you ever plan to present your case to a supervisor.

Inquire about any restrictions or loopholes regarding your payment, as understanding these documents would help make the overall process smoother.

Finally, don't forget that you have a right regarding welfare requests. Don't hesitate to contact the Antipoverty Centre should you have further questions or needs–they’ll happily hear you out and do what they can to ensure a satisfying resolution for all parties.

What do you think of this story, members? Have you encountered a similar predicament? Share your experience in the comments below!

 

[ToniaKisliakov]

Typical government incompetency of not caring

 

[Caron]

Just wanted to say my son and I Adelaide must be the lucky ones. My son has a back disease , he had 2 major operations and when he applied for a disability pension he recieved notice that the pension had been approved in less than a week. He is 28, which made it more amazing. When I applied 6 weeks later for carers, he wasn't coping while I was at work , that was approved within a fortnight. We went straight to a centrelink office, no phone calls. If possible that is definately the way to do it.