Services Australia is facing accusations of inflating its payment accuracy ratings in recent reports.

The Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) has released new figures revealing a concerning reality: nearly one in five individuals receiving welfare support payments are being paid incorrectly.

This revelation has prompted the government watchdog to recommend that Services Australia adopt more 'reliable' methods for reporting.

The audit report also shed light on another concerning statistic. One in four welfare claims did not meet the processing deadlines set by the agency itself. This failure to adhere to internal timelines further undermines Services Australia's claims of effective management.

At the heart of the audit was a critical question: Is the agency responsible for Centrelink centres truly delivering 'the right payment at the right time' to recipients?

The findings not only cast doubt on the agency's reporting accuracy but also raise concerns about the overall efficiency of the welfare payment system.

The Australian National Audit Office has found that approximately one out of every five payments made to Centrelink recipients contains errors, despite Services Australia giving itself high ratings for its performance. Credit: Shutterstock.

Services Australia and its operational procedures have come under intense scrutiny in the wake of scathing revelations from the Royal Commission investigating the Robodebt scheme, which revealed the agency's unlawful practice of issuing debts through the controversial 'income averaging' method.

In a report unveiled recently, the ANAO indicated that the welfare agency touted an impressive 98.9 per cent accuracy rate in disbursing support payments.

However, an independent inquiry conducted by the audit office painted a starkly different picture, pegging the accuracy rate at a notably lower 81.4 per cent.

Within this recalibrated statistic, the report dissected the numbers further: a substantial 13.5 per cent of the payments were identified as overpayments, while 5 per cent represented instances where welfare recipients were underpaid.

The huge difference is said to be due to Service Australia's reporting methodology, criticised as 'biased and incomplete' by the Department of Social Services in early 2021.

The agency excludes inaccurate payments resulting from errors on the recipient's end from its final reported statistics. For instance, if a recipient neglects to communicate changes in their circumstances to Services Australia, leading to an erroneous payment, such instances are not factored into the final percentage calculation.

In the fiscal year 2021-22, underpayments amounted to $514 million.

Meanwhile, overpayments totalled a staggering $7.2 billion, constituting approximately six per cent of the total disbursements. A closer look at these numbers revealed that $468.8 million stemmed from changes in a partner's income.

The report also found that the timeliness of payments was a concern, claiming that the change in how Services Australia reports timeliness has introduced a noticeable bias into the process.

In 2020, there was a remarkable surge in reported timeliness results by Services Australia. However, this failed to mirror any actual performance improvement, raising questions about the reliability of the reports from the agency.

With these findings, the ANAO report has put forth a recommendation for Services Australia: to develop a performance measure that is both 'reliable and unbiased'.

This measure, as suggested, should encompass not only statistics within the agency's control—such as administrative errors—but also those that fall within its sphere of influence, such as recipient fraud or mistakes.

However, a note emerged from the agency itself, opposing the recommendation. The agency argued against incorporating recipient-based errors into its reporting, deeming them irrelevant to assessing Service Australia's administrative performance.

Key Takeaways

• Services Australia has been accused of inaccurately reporting its payment accuracy to recipients, with an audit revealing nearly one in five of those receiving welfare support payments are being paid incorrectly.
• The Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) report revealed a discrepancy between Services Australia's claimed accuracy rate of 98.9 per cent and the audit office's finding of 81.4 per cent.
• The report also raised concerns about the timeliness of payments, highlighting that one in four welfare claims were not processed within the agency's own deadlines.
• Following the report, Services Australia disagreed with the recommendation to develop a more reliable and unbiased performance measure, as it did not consider recipient-based errors to be relevant to its administrative performance.

Members, what do you think about these findings? Have you personally faced issues with Centrelink payments? How did you handle it? It’s alarming to think of how many recipients have been unknowingly underpaid. Share your experiences with us in the comments section below.

 

[kimbonichols]

Services Australia is facing accusations of inflating its payment accuracy ratings in recent reports.

The Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) has released new figures revealing a concerning reality: nearly one in five individuals receiving welfare support payments are being paid incorrectly.

This revelation has prompted the government watchdog to recommend that Services Australia adopt more 'reliable' methods for reporting.

The audit report also shed light on another concerning statistic. One in four welfare claims did not meet the processing deadlines set by the agency itself. This failure to adhere to internal timelines further undermines Services Australia's claims of effective management.

At the heart of the audit was a critical question: Is the agency responsible for Centrelink centres truly delivering 'the right payment at the right time' to recipients?

The findings not only cast doubt on the agency's reporting accuracy but also raise concerns about the overall efficiency of the welfare payment system.

View attachment 28853

The Australian National Audit Office has found that approximately one out of every five payments made to Centrelink recipients contains errors, despite Services Australia giving itself high ratings for its performance. Credit: Shutterstock.

Services Australia and its operational procedures have come under intense scrutiny in the wake of scathing revelations from the Royal Commission investigating the Robodebt scheme, which revealed the agency's unlawful practice of issuing debts through the controversial 'income averaging' method.

In a report unveiled recently, the ANAO indicated that the welfare agency touted an impressive 98.9 per cent accuracy rate in disbursing support payments.

However, an independent inquiry conducted by the audit office painted a starkly different picture, pegging the accuracy rate at a notably lower 81.4 per cent.

Within this recalibrated statistic, the report dissected the numbers further: a substantial 13.5 per cent of the payments were identified as overpayments, while 5 per cent represented instances where welfare recipients were underpaid.

The huge difference is said to be due to Service Australia's reporting methodology, criticised as 'biased and incomplete' by the Department of Social Services in early 2021.

The agency excludes inaccurate payments resulting from errors on the recipient's end from its final reported statistics. For instance, if a recipient neglects to communicate changes in their circumstances to Services Australia, leading to an erroneous payment, such instances are not factored into the final percentage calculation.

In the fiscal year 2021-22, underpayments amounted to $514 million.

Meanwhile, overpayments totalled a staggering $7.2 billion, constituting approximately six per cent of the total disbursements. A closer look at these numbers revealed that $468.8 million stemmed from changes in a partner's income.

The report also found that the timeliness of payments was a concern, claiming that the change in how Services Australia reports timeliness has introduced a noticeable bias into the process.

In 2020, there was a remarkable surge in reported timeliness results by Services Australia. However, this failed to mirror any actual performance improvement, raising questions about the reliability of the reports from the agency.

With these findings, the ANAO report has put forth a recommendation for Services Australia: to develop a performance measure that is both 'reliable and unbiased'.

This measure, as suggested, should encompass not only statistics within the agency's control—such as administrative errors—but also those that fall within its sphere of influence, such as recipient fraud or mistakes.

However, a note emerged from the agency itself, opposing the recommendation. The agency argued against incorporating recipient-based errors into its reporting, deeming them irrelevant to assessing Service Australia's administrative performance.

Key Takeaways

• Services Australia has been accused of inaccurately reporting its payment accuracy to recipients, with an audit revealing nearly one in five of those receiving welfare support payments are being paid incorrectly.
• The Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) report revealed a discrepancy between Services Australia's claimed accuracy rate of 98.9 per cent and the audit office's finding of 81.4 per cent.
• The report also raised concerns about the timeliness of payments, highlighting that one in four welfare claims were not processed within the agency's own deadlines.
• Following the report, Services Australia disagreed with the recommendation to develop a more reliable and unbiased performance measure, as it did not consider recipient-based errors to be relevant to its administrative performance.

Members, what do you think about these findings? Have you personally faced issues with Centrelink payments? How did you handle it? It’s alarming to think of how many recipients have been unknowingly underpaid. Share your experiences with us in the comments section below.

Centrelink and almost every other government department are so appalling to deal with. Their staff are not trained. I've been told in the last few weeks, Sorry, I know nothing, sorry I'm not trained in that, sorry I'll put you through to another department that was totally incorrect as to the information I needed. Even their own staff if they speak English, admit they have no idea what to advise you on. Centrelink are the worst. I swear if half of them didn't have a job there, they would be unemployable. Can we get people who speak English and are trained in their appropriate departments. Why is Australia bringing in so many people from overseas when we can train our own people. Who may, after training, speak English and communicate correctly. The Government wants you to do your own customer service. Nor help you in any way.

 

[margaretritchie48]

It seems to me that our pension is reduced if our assets increase, because they have access to our financial records, but if they decrease we have to notify them if our assets decrease before they increase our pay.

I am on my own and only have a small amount of super, no other assets yet they deemed it and I therefore lose some of the pension.

 

[RoseyPosey]

Services Australia is facing accusations of inflating its payment accuracy ratings in recent reports.

The Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) has released new figures revealing a concerning reality: nearly one in five individuals receiving welfare support payments are being paid incorrectly.

This revelation has prompted the government watchdog to recommend that Services Australia adopt more 'reliable' methods for reporting.

The audit report also shed light on another concerning statistic. One in four welfare claims did not meet the processing deadlines set by the agency itself. This failure to adhere to internal timelines further undermines Services Australia's claims of effective management.

At the heart of the audit was a critical question: Is the agency responsible for Centrelink centres truly delivering 'the right payment at the right time' to recipients?

The findings not only cast doubt on the agency's reporting accuracy but also raise concerns about the overall efficiency of the welfare payment system.

View attachment 28853

The Australian National Audit Office has found that approximately one out of every five payments made to Centrelink recipients contains errors, despite Services Australia giving itself high ratings for its performance. Credit: Shutterstock.

Services Australia and its operational procedures have come under intense scrutiny in the wake of scathing revelations from the Royal Commission investigating the Robodebt scheme, which revealed the agency's unlawful practice of issuing debts through the controversial 'income averaging' method.

In a report unveiled recently, the ANAO indicated that the welfare agency touted an impressive 98.9 per cent accuracy rate in disbursing support payments.

However, an independent inquiry conducted by the audit office painted a starkly different picture, pegging the accuracy rate at a notably lower 81.4 per cent.

Within this recalibrated statistic, the report dissected the numbers further: a substantial 13.5 per cent of the payments were identified as overpayments, while 5 per cent represented instances where welfare recipients were underpaid.

The huge difference is said to be due to Service Australia's reporting methodology, criticised as 'biased and incomplete' by the Department of Social Services in early 2021.

The agency excludes inaccurate payments resulting from errors on the recipient's end from its final reported statistics. For instance, if a recipient neglects to communicate changes in their circumstances to Services Australia, leading to an erroneous payment, such instances are not factored into the final percentage calculation.

In the fiscal year 2021-22, underpayments amounted to $514 million.

Meanwhile, overpayments totalled a staggering $7.2 billion, constituting approximately six per cent of the total disbursements. A closer look at these numbers revealed that $468.8 million stemmed from changes in a partner's income.

The report also found that the timeliness of payments was a concern, claiming that the change in how Services Australia reports timeliness has introduced a noticeable bias into the process.

In 2020, there was a remarkable surge in reported timeliness results by Services Australia. However, this failed to mirror any actual performance improvement, raising questions about the reliability of the reports from the agency.

With these findings, the ANAO report has put forth a recommendation for Services Australia: to develop a performance measure that is both 'reliable and unbiased'.

This measure, as suggested, should encompass not only statistics within the agency's control—such as administrative errors—but also those that fall within its sphere of influence, such as recipient fraud or mistakes.

However, a note emerged from the agency itself, opposing the recommendation. The agency argued against incorporating recipient-based errors into its reporting, deeming them irrelevant to assessing Service Australia's administrative performance.

Key Takeaways

• Services Australia has been accused of inaccurately reporting its payment accuracy to recipients, with an audit revealing nearly one in five of those receiving welfare support payments are being paid incorrectly.
• The Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) report revealed a discrepancy between Services Australia's claimed accuracy rate of 98.9 per cent and the audit office's finding of 81.4 per cent.
• The report also raised concerns about the timeliness of payments, highlighting that one in four welfare claims were not processed within the agency's own deadlines.
• Following the report, Services Australia disagreed with the recommendation to develop a more reliable and unbiased performance measure, as it did not consider recipient-based errors to be relevant to its administrative performance.

Members, what do you think about these findings? Have you personally faced issues with Centrelink payments? How did you handle it? It’s alarming to think of how many recipients have been unknowingly underpaid. Share your experiences with us in the comments section below.

Hi Centrelink changed the day my Pension went into the bank and I had to completely change my payment system to another day and had to reschedule my shopping because the day I had received my pension quite often I was down to my last money I thought that was unfair

 

[Littleboy8]

Hi Centrelink changed the day my Pension went into the bank and I had to completely change my payment system to another day and had to reschedule my shopping because the day I had received my pension quite often I was down to my last money I thought that was unfair

Ring and ask why or type it in to see changes that have occurred there has been a few

 

[Noraya]

I recently noticed that I didnt get the correct payment. When I called to find out what happened the person on the Centrelink end of the line told me: "It s because you had... hang on a minute... you had NEGATIVE INCOME! .... That's weird.... I ve never seen negative income before...." He proceeded to give me the numbers, and I could see straight away that my employer had made a mistake (paid me twice, then withdraw/debited the second payment. The Centrelink person had to get a calculator, talk to his superior, ask how to verify and finally rectify it, allthe time mumbling about "I ve never before had to deal with negative income....". Nor had I!! Didnt even know there is such thing as NEGATIVE INCOME ! After waiting for 45 minutes, then talking to this person for almost an hour, I was told "we ll call you back should there still be a problem."
Not sure I will call them next time I ll find a mistake....

 

[steelstore]

Services Australia is facing accusations of inflating its payment accuracy ratings in recent reports.

The Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) has released new figures revealing a concerning reality: nearly one in five individuals receiving welfare support payments are being paid incorrectly.

This revelation has prompted the government watchdog to recommend that Services Australia adopt more 'reliable' methods for reporting.

The audit report also shed light on another concerning statistic. One in four welfare claims did not meet the processing deadlines set by the agency itself. This failure to adhere to internal timelines further undermines Services Australia's claims of effective management.

At the heart of the audit was a critical question: Is the agency responsible for Centrelink centres truly delivering 'the right payment at the right time' to recipients?

The findings not only cast doubt on the agency's reporting accuracy but also raise concerns about the overall efficiency of the welfare payment system.

View attachment 28853

The Australian National Audit Office has found that approximately one out of every five payments made to Centrelink recipients contains errors, despite Services Australia giving itself high ratings for its performance. Credit: Shutterstock.

Services Australia and its operational procedures have come under intense scrutiny in the wake of scathing revelations from the Royal Commission investigating the Robodebt scheme, which revealed the agency's unlawful practice of issuing debts through the controversial 'income averaging' method.

In a report unveiled recently, the ANAO indicated that the welfare agency touted an impressive 98.9 per cent accuracy rate in disbursing support payments.

However, an independent inquiry conducted by the audit office painted a starkly different picture, pegging the accuracy rate at a notably lower 81.4 per cent.

Within this recalibrated statistic, the report dissected the numbers further: a substantial 13.5 per cent of the payments were identified as overpayments, while 5 per cent represented instances where welfare recipients were underpaid.

The huge difference is said to be due to Service Australia's reporting methodology, criticised as 'biased and incomplete' by the Department of Social Services in early 2021.

The agency excludes inaccurate payments resulting from errors on the recipient's end from its final reported statistics. For instance, if a recipient neglects to communicate changes in their circumstances to Services Australia, leading to an erroneous payment, such instances are not factored into the final percentage calculation.

In the fiscal year 2021-22, underpayments amounted to $514 million.

Meanwhile, overpayments totalled a staggering $7.2 billion, constituting approximately six per cent of the total disbursements. A closer look at these numbers revealed that $468.8 million stemmed from changes in a partner's income.

The report also found that the timeliness of payments was a concern, claiming that the change in how Services Australia reports timeliness has introduced a noticeable bias into the process.

In 2020, there was a remarkable surge in reported timeliness results by Services Australia. However, this failed to mirror any actual performance improvement, raising questions about the reliability of the reports from the agency.

With these findings, the ANAO report has put forth a recommendation for Services Australia: to develop a performance measure that is both 'reliable and unbiased'.

This measure, as suggested, should encompass not only statistics within the agency's control—such as administrative errors—but also those that fall within its sphere of influence, such as recipient fraud or mistakes.

However, a note emerged from the agency itself, opposing the recommendation. The agency argued against incorporating recipient-based errors into its reporting, deeming them irrelevant to assessing Service Australia's administrative performance.

Key Takeaways

• Services Australia has been accused of inaccurately reporting its payment accuracy to recipients, with an audit revealing nearly one in five of those receiving welfare support payments are being paid incorrectly.
• The Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) report revealed a discrepancy between Services Australia's claimed accuracy rate of 98.9 per cent and the audit office's finding of 81.4 per cent.
• The report also raised concerns about the timeliness of payments, highlighting that one in four welfare claims were not processed within the agency's own deadlines.
• Following the report, Services Australia disagreed with the recommendation to develop a more reliable and unbiased performance measure, as it did not consider recipient-based errors to be relevant to its administrative performance.

Members, what do you think about these findings? Have you personally faced issues with Centrelink payments? How did you handle it? It’s alarming to think of how many recipients have been unknowingly underpaid. Share your experiences with us in the comments section below.

Services Australia is facing accusations of inflating its payment accuracy ratings in recent reports.

The Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) has released new figures revealing a concerning reality: nearly one in five individuals receiving welfare support payments are being paid incorrectly.

This revelation has prompted the government watchdog to recommend that Services Australia adopt more 'reliable' methods for reporting.

The audit report also shed light on another concerning statistic. One in four welfare claims did not meet the processing deadlines set by the agency itself. This failure to adhere to internal timelines further undermines Services Australia's claims of effective management.

At the heart of the audit was a critical question: Is the agency responsible for Centrelink centres truly delivering 'the right payment at the right time' to recipients?

The findings not only cast doubt on the agency's reporting accuracy but also raise concerns about the overall efficiency of the welfare payment system.

View attachment 28853

The Australian National Audit Office has found that approximately one out of every five payments made to Centrelink recipients contains errors, despite Services Australia giving itself high ratings for its performance. Credit: Shutterstock.

Services Australia and its operational procedures have come under intense scrutiny in the wake of scathing revelations from the Royal Commission investigating the Robodebt scheme, which revealed the agency's unlawful practice of issuing debts through the controversial 'income averaging' method.

In a report unveiled recently, the ANAO indicated that the welfare agency touted an impressive 98.9 per cent accuracy rate in disbursing support payments.

However, an independent inquiry conducted by the audit office painted a starkly different picture, pegging the accuracy rate at a notably lower 81.4 per cent.

Within this recalibrated statistic, the report dissected the numbers further: a substantial 13.5 per cent of the payments were identified as overpayments, while 5 per cent represented instances where welfare recipients were underpaid.

The huge difference is said to be due to Service Australia's reporting methodology, criticised as 'biased and incomplete' by the Department of Social Services in early 2021.

The agency excludes inaccurate payments resulting from errors on the recipient's end from its final reported statistics. For instance, if a recipient neglects to communicate changes in their circumstances to Services Australia, leading to an erroneous payment, such instances are not factored into the final percentage calculation.

In the fiscal year 2021-22, underpayments amounted to $514 million.

Meanwhile, overpayments totalled a staggering $7.2 billion, constituting approximately six per cent of the total disbursements. A closer look at these numbers revealed that $468.8 million stemmed from changes in a partner's income.

The report also found that the timeliness of payments was a concern, claiming that the change in how Services Australia reports timeliness has introduced a noticeable bias into the process.

In 2020, there was a remarkable surge in reported timeliness results by Services Australia. However, this failed to mirror any actual performance improvement, raising questions about the reliability of the reports from the agency.

With these findings, the ANAO report has put forth a recommendation for Services Australia: to develop a performance measure that is both 'reliable and unbiased'.

This measure, as suggested, should encompass not only statistics within the agency's control—such as administrative errors—but also those that fall within its sphere of influence, such as recipient fraud or mistakes.

However, a note emerged from the agency itself, opposing the recommendation. The agency argued against incorporating recipient-based errors into its reporting, deeming them irrelevant to assessing Service Australia's administrative performance.

Key Takeaways

• Services Australia has been accused of inaccurately reporting its payment accuracy to recipients, with an audit revealing nearly one in five of those receiving welfare support payments are being paid incorrectly.
• The Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) report revealed a discrepancy between Services Australia's claimed accuracy rate of 98.9 per cent and the audit office's finding of 81.4 per cent.
• The report also raised concerns about the timeliness of payments, highlighting that one in four welfare claims were not processed within the agency's own deadlines.
• Following the report, Services Australia disagreed with the recommendation to develop a more reliable and unbiased performance measure, as it did not consider recipient-based errors to be relevant to its administrative performance.

Members, what do you think about these findings? Have you personally faced issues with Centrelink payments? How did you handle it? It’s alarming to think of how many recipients have been unknowingly underpaid. Share your experiences with us in the comments section below.

During the covid outbreak i took a break from working and did not claim any centrelink payments.
When i did try to make a claim the whole process was very very difficult involving mostly having to apply online.
Actually being able to attend a local office and get help firstly getting past the individuals at reception was most frustrating.
I have always worked all my life and payed my taxes.
Centrelink seems to favour those who have no intention of ever working, having multiple children to multiple partners so they can claim child benifits to purchase cigarettes and achohol.
Centrelink needs a complete overhaul to give all Australians a far go and not just a selected few.

 

[steelstore]

Ring and ask why or type it in to see changes that have occurred there has been a few

Total incompetence at its best.

 

[mylittletibbies]

During the covid outbreak i took a break from working and did not claim any centrelink payments.
When i did try to make a claim the whole process was very very difficult involving mostly having to apply online.
Actually being able to attend a local office and get help firstly getting past the individuals at reception was most frustrating.
I have always worked all my life and payed my taxes.
Centrelink seems to favour those who have no intention of ever working, having multiple children to multiple partners so they can claim child benifits to purchase cigarettes and achohol.
Centrelink needs a complete overhaul to give all Australians a far go and not just a selected few.

 

[one2one]

Services Australia is facing accusations of inflating its payment accuracy ratings in recent reports.

The Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) has released new figures revealing a concerning reality: nearly one in five individuals receiving welfare support payments are being paid incorrectly.

This revelation has prompted the government watchdog to recommend that Services Australia adopt more 'reliable' methods for reporting.

The audit report also shed light on another concerning statistic. One in four welfare claims did not meet the processing deadlines set by the agency itself. This failure to adhere to internal timelines further undermines Services Australia's claims of effective management.

At the heart of the audit was a critical question: Is the agency responsible for Centrelink centres truly delivering 'the right payment at the right time' to recipients?

The findings not only cast doubt on the agency's reporting accuracy but also raise concerns about the overall efficiency of the welfare payment system.

View attachment 28853

The Australian National Audit Office has found that approximately one out of every five payments made to Centrelink recipients contains errors, despite Services Australia giving itself high ratings for its performance. Credit: Shutterstock.

Services Australia and its operational procedures have come under intense scrutiny in the wake of scathing revelations from the Royal Commission investigating the Robodebt scheme, which revealed the agency's unlawful practice of issuing debts through the controversial 'income averaging' method.

In a report unveiled recently, the ANAO indicated that the welfare agency touted an impressive 98.9 per cent accuracy rate in disbursing support payments.

However, an independent inquiry conducted by the audit office painted a starkly different picture, pegging the accuracy rate at a notably lower 81.4 per cent.

Within this recalibrated statistic, the report dissected the numbers further: a substantial 13.5 per cent of the payments were identified as overpayments, while 5 per cent represented instances where welfare recipients were underpaid.

The huge difference is said to be due to Service Australia's reporting methodology, criticised as 'biased and incomplete' by the Department of Social Services in early 2021.

The agency excludes inaccurate payments resulting from errors on the recipient's end from its final reported statistics. For instance, if a recipient neglects to communicate changes in their circumstances to Services Australia, leading to an erroneous payment, such instances are not factored into the final percentage calculation.

In the fiscal year 2021-22, underpayments amounted to $514 million.

Meanwhile, overpayments totalled a staggering $7.2 billion, constituting approximately six per cent of the total disbursements. A closer look at these numbers revealed that $468.8 million stemmed from changes in a partner's income.

The report also found that the timeliness of payments was a concern, claiming that the change in how Services Australia reports timeliness has introduced a noticeable bias into the process.

In 2020, there was a remarkable surge in reported timeliness results by Services Australia. However, this failed to mirror any actual performance improvement, raising questions about the reliability of the reports from the agency.

With these findings, the ANAO report has put forth a recommendation for Services Australia: to develop a performance measure that is both 'reliable and unbiased'.

This measure, as suggested, should encompass not only statistics within the agency's control—such as administrative errors—but also those that fall within its sphere of influence, such as recipient fraud or mistakes.

However, a note emerged from the agency itself, opposing the recommendation. The agency argued against incorporating recipient-based errors into its reporting, deeming them irrelevant to assessing Service Australia's administrative performance.

Key Takeaways

• Services Australia has been accused of inaccurately reporting its payment accuracy to recipients, with an audit revealing nearly one in five of those receiving welfare support payments are being paid incorrectly.
• The Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) report revealed a discrepancy between Services Australia's claimed accuracy rate of 98.9 per cent and the audit office's finding of 81.4 per cent.
• The report also raised concerns about the timeliness of payments, highlighting that one in four welfare claims were not processed within the agency's own deadlines.
• Following the report, Services Australia disagreed with the recommendation to develop a more reliable and unbiased performance measure, as it did not consider recipient-based errors to be relevant to its administrative performance.

Members, what do you think about these findings? Have you personally faced issues with Centrelink payments? How did you handle it? It’s alarming to think of how many recipients have been unknowingly underpaid. Share your experiences with us in the comments section below.PpCent

Services Australia is facing accusations of inflating its payment accuracy ratings in recent reports.

The Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) has released new figures revealing a concerning reality: nearly one in five individuals receiving welfare support payments are being paid incorrectly.

This revelation has prompted the government watchdog to recommend that Services Australia adopt more 'reliable' methods for reporting.

The audit report also shed light on another concerning statistic. One in four welfare claims did not meet the processing deadlines set by the agency itself. This failure to adhere to internal timelines further undermines Services Australia's claims of effective management.

At the heart of the audit was a critical question: Is the agency responsible for Centrelink centres truly delivering 'the right payment at the right time' to recipients?

The findings not only cast doubt on the agency's reporting accuracy but also raise concerns about the overall efficiency of the welfare payment system.

View attachment 28853

The Australian National Audit Office has found that approximately one out of every five payments made to Centrelink recipients contains errors, despite Services Australia giving itself high ratings for its performance. Credit: Shutterstock.

Services Australia and its operational procedures have come under intense scrutiny in the wake of scathing revelations from the Royal Commission investigating the Robodebt scheme, which revealed the agency's unlawful practice of issuing debts through the controversial 'income averaging' method.

In a report unveiled recently, the ANAO indicated that the welfare agency touted an impressive 98.9 per cent accuracy rate in disbursing support payments.

However, an independent inquiry conducted by the audit office painted a starkly different picture, pegging the accuracy rate at a notably lower 81.4 per cent.

Within this recalibrated statistic, the report dissected the numbers further: a substantial 13.5 per cent of the payments were identified as overpayments, while 5 per cent represented instances where welfare recipients were underpaid.

The huge difference is said to be due to Service Australia's reporting methodology, criticised as 'biased and incomplete' by the Department of Social Services in early 2021.

The agency excludes inaccurate payments resulting from errors on the recipient's end from its final reported statistics. For instance, if a recipient neglects to communicate changes in their circumstances to Services Australia, leading to an erroneous payment, such instances are not factored into the final percentage calculation.

In the fiscal year 2021-22, underpayments amounted to $514 million.

Meanwhile, overpayments totalled a staggering $7.2 billion, constituting approximately six per cent of the total disbursements. A closer look at these numbers revealed that $468.8 million stemmed from changes in a partner's income.

The report also found that the timeliness of payments was a concern, claiming that the change in how Services Australia reports timeliness has introduced a noticeable bias into the process.

In 2020, there was a remarkable surge in reported timeliness results by Services Australia. However, this failed to mirror any actual performance improvement, raising questions about the reliability of the reports from the agency.

With these findings, the ANAO report has put forth a recommendation for Services Australia: to develop a performance measure that is both 'reliable and unbiased'.

This measure, as suggested, should encompass not only statistics within the agency's control—such as administrative errors—but also those that fall within its sphere of influence, such as recipient fraud or mistakes.

However, a note emerged from the agency itself, opposing the recommendation. The agency argued against incorporating recipient-based errors into its reporting, deeming them irrelevant to assessing Service Australia's administrative performance.

Key Takeaways

• Services Australia has been accused of inaccurately reporting its payment accuracy to recipients, with an audit revealing nearly one in five of those receiving welfare support payments are being paid incorrectly.
• The Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) report revealed a discrepancy between Services Australia's claimed accuracy rate of 98.9 per cent and the audit office's finding of 81.4 per cent.
• The report also raised concerns about the timeliness of payments, highlighting that one in four welfare claims were not processed within the agency's own deadlines.
• Following the report, Services Australia disagreed with the recommendation to develop a more reliable and unbiased performance measure, as it did not consider recipient-based errors to be relevant to its administrative performance.

Members, what do you think about these findings? Have you personally faced issues with Centrelink payments? How did you handle it? It’s alarming to think of how many recipients have been unknowingly underpaid. Share your experiences with us in the comments section below.

Centrelink Services Australia is a joke still waiting for my pension to be addresses now in its ninth weeks. Went to our federal Member but that has done now good - they are just as bad contacted them Federal Member twice but they only send emai to Services Australia they don’t even call you to let you know . Living off $260 per week husband no longer working they just don’t care about us anymore, they just keep fobbing us off. Just at the end of our tether as no one cares about our plight. Shame Shame Shame on our government they can give themselves us 4% increase while we are still waiting for what we are supposed to receive on the pension. The system is not stalled it broken and they don’t care

 

[samtumino]

Centrelink Services Australia is a joke still waiting for my pension to be addresses now in its ninth weeks. Went to our federal Member but that has done now good - they are just as bad contacted them Federal Member twice but they only send emai to Services Australia they don’t even call you to let you know . Living off $260 per week husband no longer working they just don’t care about us anymore, they just keep fobbing us off. Just at the end of our tether as no one cares about our plight. Shame Shame Shame on our government they can give themselves us 4% increase while we are still waiting for what we are supposed to receive on the pension. The system is not stalled it broken and they don’t care

If I ever became Prime Minister, the first thing I would do Is close all the Centerlink Offices of Australia, sell all the Centerlink Buildings, sack all their employees and managers and with the money saved by not having to pay their exorbitant salaries (for doing nothing), a modest pension would be paid to everyone at age pension (no asset test, no income test, no test of any kind required or checked). At Tax time everyone would file his/her income with the Tax Office which included the pension received and, if it was above a threshold would be returned to the Government.
It works in many other countries of the Western World including our closest neighbour New Zealand.

New Zealand Superannuation (NZ Super) - Work and Income

You may be able to get New Zealand Superannuation payments if you're aged 65 and older.

www.workandincome.govt.nz

Why cannot work here?
Unfortunately I will never be Prime Minister, so we won't be able to vote for this system.
Politicians are only interested in filling their own pockets up for as long as they can,
and
THE LAST THING THEY THINK ABOUT IS YOU AND ME.

 

[IAN3005]

Totally agreeHow rude

Fact!!!!

 

[samtumino]

I applied for the age pension in march still waiting after 54 years in the workforce and never out of work

Jon the Club!!
I was told by a Federal Minister that people in the category I worked, usually have lots of cash under the mattress, so I should look there to start with. Needless to say he is never going to get my vote again. Unfortunately that does not helps much...

 

[mylittletibbies]

Centrelink Services Australia is a joke still waiting for my pension to be addresses now in its ninth weeks. Went to our federal Member but that has done now good - they are just as bad contacted them Federal Member twice but they only send emai to Services Australia they don’t even call you to let you know . Living off $260 per week husband no longer working they just don’t care about us anymore, they just keep fobbing us off. Just at the end of our tether as no one cares about our plight. Shame Shame Shame on our government they can give themselves us 4% increase while we are still waiting for what we are supposed to receive on the pension. The system is not stalled it broken and they don’t care

So sorry to hear if your problems. I have contacted my local member on three occasions, instant results each time. I guess it all depends on how good each local member is.
Have you tried the Ombudsman.
You could try Current Affairs, they might be interested.
Many years ago, I threatened the mental health services with doing this after they kept fobbing me off, telling me I had to deal through Disability Services, when my daughter was having an episode, we didn't know what the problem was.
This went on for months.
When I said I was going to go to Current Affairs and tell them that because my daughter was disabled I was not being able to access mental health services.
Wow and behold I had an appointment to see a psychiatrist the next day. Turned out she had schizophrenia, poor darling, just to add to her woes.
I do hope you can find somebody to help you with your problem