MEDIA RELEASE - ENOUGH IS ENOUGH: SERVICES AUSTRALIA'S EMBARRASSING REPORT CARD EXPOSES SHORTEN'S FAILURES

PAUL FLETCHER MP

Shadow Minister for Government Services and the Digital Economy

Shadow Minister for Science and the Arts

Manager of Opposition Business in the House

MEDIA RELEASE

Wednesday, 6 November 2024

Customer service standards at Services Australia have plummeted for the second consecutive financial year due to the persistent mismanagement of Bill Shorten during a cost of living crisis.

The 2023-24 Annual Report for the vital welfare agency formally tracks the agency’s performance against a variety of ‘Strategic Performance Measures’. 

The below graphs compares the targets and results across these key performance indicators  over financial years 2022-23 and 2023-24 respectively.

This official data confirms that only 58.5 per cent of Centrelink claims were processed within their respective timeliness standard. Examples of key claims include the Age Pension, Disability Support Pension and Low Income Card.

Shadow Minister for Government Services Paul Fletcher said the new year-on-year data is a shocking reminder of Labor’s lack of interest in improving the customer service experience. 

“Behind these terrible figures are Australian families who are already struggling to make ends meet, but because of Labor’s bad decisions and wrong priorities, they're worse off,” Mr Fletcher said.

“Before the last election, Bill Shorten and Anthony Albanese issued a joint media release which claimed they would ‘restore dignity, humanity and competence to the delivery of government services’; this latest data proves this was just another broken promise.

“Just because Bill Shorten is in the twilight of his political career doesn’t mean he can be complacent and rest on his laurels.”

The release of the Annual Report follows the publication of new data showing Centrelink call wait times at Services Australia have more than doubled under the Albanese Labor Government.

The below graphs compare call wait times for the past three financial years over key Centrelink telephone channels. The average speed to answer (ASA) figures are published as minutes and seconds.

“Millions of Australians are struggling with the cost of living and should be able to pick up the phone and speak with someone at Centrelink quickly, rather than be kept on hold for a teeth-grindingly long time,” Mr Fletcher said.