Jill Hall (Shortland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

For the information of the member for Corangamite, the Abbott government has delivered a real surprise—a real present—to the people of Shortland electorate: they have cut any proposal to have the NBN in Shortland electorate. For the information of the government, the people that I represent are extremely disappointed and disturbed about the actions of this government.

They are just as disturbed about the changes that have taken place in Centrelink, particularly the long waits they are facing, whether at a Centrelink office or on the telephone or with an appeal. It may shock and horrify members to know that a person submitting an appeal after being rejected for a disability pension, a carer's payment or any other allowance are waiting for up to 12 months. I do not know if other members have had calls like this to their office, but every day that I have constituent interviews someone comes in about the waits at Centrelink.

I find it really disturbing that people who attend Centrelink offices are quite often in dire need of help. When they have to wait for very long periods of time, it causes them enormous angst and they become very upset, particularly elderly people. Shortland is an older electorate and a number of my elderly constituents attend the Centrelink office, only to be handed the telephone and told to call. They will not be seen by a Centrelink officer, but when they phone they are given an appointment to go and see a Centrelink officer in so many weeks time. They are given this information over the telephone. This is very, very confusing for people. It is not one person who has come and complained to me about this—this is happening each and every day.

The No. 1 complaint that we receive in our office at the moment is in relation to Centrelink, the wait times and the call system—being put on the telephone to talk to someone rather than being able to see somebody in a Centrelink office. I think it is unacceptable, and I think members opposite are indicating that they think it is unacceptable. I have spoken to Centrelink management about it and I have raised this issue in a number of different areas; it is really very difficult.

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