ADVOCACY IN ACTION
By Jo Leveritt, Solicitor Advocate and President, Wide Bay Advocacy.
As the cost of living in Australia continues to rise, with soaring prices for essentials like electricity, petrol, groceries, and rent, many Australians find themselves in an increasingly desperate financial situation. For those already struggling to make ends meet, finding and maintaining a roof over their head is a real challenge.
Amid this crisis, Centrelink, the government agency tasked with providing a social safety net, is failing to deliver the critical support that vulnerable Australians need and deserve.
Recent reports have highlighted Centrelink clients' unacceptable wait times and barriers to access. Stories like that of Kathy Parrey, a disability support pensioner who spent weeks trying to reach Centrelink to resolve an issue with her payments, are common. Kathy, unable to visit a Centrelink office due to her disability, spent hours each day on the phone, only to be repeatedly hung up on by an automated system. She is not alone in her frustration and despair.
Last financial year, Centrelink received 41 million calls, of which 9 million were met with congestion messages instructing callers to use online services before abruptly ending the call. A further 7.4 million calls were sent to voicemail, while more than 2 million calls were terminated by customers who gave up after waiting on hold for extended periods.
For those who do manage to get through, many face long delays in processing their claims. As of the end of last year, there was a backlog of 1.1 million unprocessed claims.
For Australians relying on Centrelink payments to survive, these long wait times and processing delays can mean the difference between having food on the table and going hungry, between keeping a roof over their head and facing homelessness. The stress and anxiety caused by the uncertainty of not knowing when or if essential support will come through take a heavy toll on mental health.
Centrelink needs a significant injection of resources to hire more staff, improve training, and overhaul processes to prioritise client outcomes over efficiency metrics. Digital services must be accompanied by accessible alternatives for those unable to navigate online systems. Most importantly, a culture shift is needed to put respect and dignity for clients at the heart of all service interactions.
Interactions with government services should be characterised by compassion, responsiveness, and a commitment to ensuring everyone can access the support they need. Instead, because of welfare cutbacks, shifts towards impersonal online service delivery and an emphasis on policing compliance over providing genuine support, too many Australians feel dehumanised and disrespected in their dealings with Centrelink.
An "audit of respect" is urgently needed. This would involve a comprehensive review of how Centrelink interacts with and treats its clients, with a focus on whether these interactions uphold the dignity and humanity of every individual. The audit would involve in-depth qualitative research, including surveys, interviews, and focus groups with a diverse range of Centrelink clients, to understand their experiences navigating the system and perceptions of their treatment.
The audit would ask questions like: Do clients feel heard and understood when they explain their circumstances? Are they given clear, accurate, and consistent information? Do staff treat them with empathy and respect, or do they feel judged and dismissed? When issues arise, are they able to access timely and effective support? The findings would provide a roadmap for improving efficiency and the human quality of service delivery.
Crucially, an audit of respect must centre the voices and experiences of those the system serves, particularly the most vulnerable. It must recognise that, while important, efficiency cannot come at the cost of treating people with dignity. Conducting such an audit would convey that respect for clients is central to Centrelink's mission.
Reimagining Centrelink through the lens of respect will be challenging. It will require a significant cultural shift and sustained commitment from leaders, staff and the wider community. However, it is essential to build a social support system that truly serves the needs of all Australians with fairness and respect.
The financial squeeze is tightening. It's time to put people first, and that starts with a commitment to upholding the human rights of every person who turns to Centrelink for support.