Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Human Services, Senator Ludwig. With an increase of more than eight per cent in complaints about Centrelink’s service, will the government now accept that they have made the wrong decision in axing the local liaison officer program within Centrelink?

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I can say that the local liaison officer program was one of those that the opposition put in when they were in government. It did not address the concerns and issues that were raised in local constituencies. We ensured that the local liaison officer program was not continued. Why? Because it was not actually delivering. A much better system to put in place is one where, if you have an issue in your constituency, you can go to your local electorate office and deal with it. We have good relations with each of those electorate offices. When issues are raised that people want brought forward then those specific agencies, like Centrelink or Medicare, can talk through and have contact with the electorate offices and deal with them in a sensible way. That is a far more practical way than having a local liaison officer program in place. Centrelink has been working through each of those offices. Of course, agencies across the Human Services portfolio deal with not only local constituents that are referred to from electorate offices but also a significant amount of correspondence from those electorate offices. I can assure the Senate and you, Mr President, that correspondence—which I see personally—comes to me from the electoral offices of those opposite and of those of us on this side of the chamber through all of the agencies across the Human Services portfolio: Medicare, Centrelink, the Child Support Agency, Health Services Australia and Australian Hearing. This indicates that they are engaging with the constituents about issues. We are dealing with those issues that arise. We deal with them directly in a practical way. (Time expired)

Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the minister for the answer and I thank him for conceding that the new system has, in fact, delivered eight per cent less service than that of the previous government. Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. The government’s arbitrary 3.5 per cent efficiency dividend imposed this year has reduced Centrelink’s ability to provide services to Australians. Centrelink’s own annual report stated that the reviews completed on time were down by four per cent and that requests for appeals on Centrelink decisions were up by more than 6,000. Given the increase in consumer demand, will the government now concede that they also got this wrong and restore the funding to Centrelink?

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Those opposite misrepresented the question. There was no concession in respect of the impact of the removal of the local liaison officer program. In fact, it was quite the opposite. If you look at the staff that have been provided to electorate offices, you have an additional electorate officer to deal with the issues of constituents in all of our offices. If you choose to use them in that way then they are a valuable resource for your constituents to work through any of the issues that may arise. But if you choose not to use them in that way then that is a decision you make within your own offices. I can say that Centrelink has been working diligently. It has been out there across Australia helping those people who are in need. It has been helping people in Queensland who have been suffering under the storms and the floods. It is also providing the $10.4 billion— (Time expired)

Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question, but I have to say that that answer is completely less than satisfactory. It is a dreadful answer. This is a very serious matter.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Ask your question, Senator Scullion.

Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Will the minister confirm to the Senate—

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, on a point of order: I know we are trialling this new system, but it seems to have become the habit of the opposition firstly to slur the minister on starting their supplementary questions and then, often, to ask supplementary questions that have nothing to do with the primary question. I appreciate that we have this trial, under which you indicated that you would take a fairly liberal approach to see how things transpired and to learn from those things. I appreciate and respect that, but I think that the sort of behaviour that is developing ought not to be permitted. It is not appropriate for senators to disparage the ministers at the start of their supplementaries, nor is it appropriate for them to fail to address the broader question even vaguely in their supplementaries. I ask you to give consideration to that, even though we are having a fairly liberal interpretation of the new system.

Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I rise to speak on the point of order. I acknowledge that I was not disparaging the minister in any way in terms of the answer to the principal question. It was the Ombudsman’s report that indicated the eight per cent increase in complaints. I was simply reflecting that he made no attempt at all to answer the question in my first supplementary. An efficiency dividend of 3.5 per cent had been implemented and the outcome of that was that reviews completed were down by four per cent and Centrelink decision appeals were up by 6,000, and he made no attempt to answer the question. I was not reflecting upon the minister; I was simply reflecting on my disappointment that he failed completely to answer the question.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You had been asking the supplementary question for 14 seconds, and at that time I drew your attention to the fact that you were not asking a question and I asked you to come to the question.

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Abetz interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Abetz, I do not need your assistance. Senator Scullion, there are now 46 seconds left for you to complete your supplementary question, and I draw you to the fact that you need to ask a question.

Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr President. Will the minister confirm to the Senate that the government is closing the Centrelink office in Currie Street, Adelaide from 19 December 2008? Will the minister inform the Senate of the address of the new Centrelink office that will replace the Currie Street office, or is it in fact the case that there is not one?

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The short answer is that we have been evicted from those premises. That is the short answer. What we can say, though, is that, unlike the information in your question, we have already advised the customers about the alternative service arrangements in Adelaide. We have been proactive in ensuring that no customer will lose out on any service. We have been ensuring that we can continue to provide the Centrelink services throughout the Adelaide CBD. They are the issues that Centrelink has been proactively dealing with. Why? Centrelink is out there actively engaging with the community, making sure that it does the hard work with the community and providing assistance to those in need within the community. You should do your homework in respect of this. This is about ensuring we have continuity of service for those customers. Centrelink found itself in that position and, rather than sit on its haunches, it went out and did some proactive work. (Time expired)