CENTRELINK CAN LEARN FROM MEDICARE - Dr Dennis Jensen MP

I wish to raise the concern of a constituent of mine in relation to current Centrelink office operating procedures. He and his elderly father-in-law were trying to use the services at Centrelink in Fremantle. He became frustrated with the procedures they faced and contacted my office. The gentleman was very concerned that, especially, elderly people have to stand and wait for a long time in queues just to get a ticket to sit down and wait some more. This is not the first such complaint that I have received. My office has received calls from people actually in the queue at Centrelink venting and voicing their sheer frustration at the length of time they have spent in the queue. It is also worth noting that some people are required to visit Centrelink offices more regularly than others or need to return to provide further documentation only to be faced with long queues and long waits.

The constituent I mentioned said the system in Medicare was much better in that you got a ticket immediately and then were able to sit and wait instead of standing for long periods at a time. I wrote to the Minister for Human Services expressing my constituent’s concerns and outlining the reasons behind his complaint. The minister replied, saying that ticketing machines were used in the past but were discontinued because the preference of customers was ‘to be addressed by name rather than a number’. The minister continued, stating that there were various procedures in place to assist managing queues. My constituent and his father remain unconvinced. They told me that this sort of reasoning for such a necessary treatment of our most needy citizens is wrong and should not be tolerated. Also, if these reasons are valid, why does it not apply to a similar situation in Medicare offices? People do not seem in the least offended by having a number called out there. Many government departments and businesses use ticketing systems with provision for people to sit down and wait. This method is especially important and beneficial for those Centrelink customers who are elderly, disabled, unwell or who have small children with them.

Despite the advances in technology mentioned by the minister, I would urge him to rethink the use of ticketing machines in Centrelink offices and consider the benefit that many Australians would receive by streamlining this Centrelink procedure.