Gavin Marshall (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Human Services, Senator Kim Carr. I refer the minister to his previous statement that the wait times on the Centrelink call line had reached unacceptable levels due to strong growth in demand. What is the government doing to address this problem?

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Marshall for the question and indicate to the Senate that many senators raised this issue with me when I first came into the portfolio in March. When the problem peaked in July, the average waiting time exceeded 16 minutes. I made it very clear then that this was unacceptable and that I believed it could be fixed, and today I can report that our actions are succeeding. We have cut the average waiting time to six minutes and 15 seconds. We deployed additional staff to answer the telephones, we have been able to use new technology to lift the level of service and we have been able to adopt new techniques to ensure that we are able to provide clearer and sharper access for people who are trying to use the services provided by Centrelink.

This month I will announce the extension of the call back service to every caller; some mobile phone users already have access to this option so they can go about their business while not losing their place in the queue. This service is now available for landline callers—for families' and for seniors' numbers—and it will be open for all landline calls from Christmas this year. We will be able to ensure that people are able to get through because, under the previous government, there was a practice in place at the Centrelink of having a permanent 'do not disturb' signal put on the lines. That is how they kept their statistics down—you actually could not get through. A permanent 'do not disturb' signal was placed on the lines to make sure the statistics looked good but it meant massive inconvenience to the citizens of this country.

We are in the business of improving services. We are in the business of ensuring that every Australian gets the rights and the entitlements that they have a right to expect and this government is committed to ensuring that we are able to lift the level of service for the people of this country.

Gavin Marshall (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Minister, for the answer. I ask a supplementary question: in the light of state government cuts to community services such as we see in Victoria, will the government be able to bridge the gap?

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

State governments are creating additional pressure on the services that the Commonwealth is offering. Of course, the Commonwealth, under Labor, will always do the best it can to ensure that the battlers of this country do get access to the services that are available; but the fact remains that we simply cannot fill the gaps that are being left as a result of state government cuts. The social security system of this country relies upon all levels of government doing their bit, and so when one section of government turns its back on the people of this country then there are going to be people who fall through the cracks. What we are seeing in this reality—in Victoria, for instance—are some 500 staff being cut from the Victorian state Department of Human Services. In today's Age, we see it reported that the number of children under protection and care orders has doubled since 2000. Yet in Victoria the state government— (Time expired)

Gavin Marshall (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the minister for that answer. I ask a further supplementary question: if the Commonwealth cannot fill the gap, will community organisations be able to shoulder the burden of these cuts?

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The community sector always has a vital part to play when it comes to service delivery but it must always be built upon the backbone of the services that are provided by government. Those opposite are peddling the line that they can transfer government responsibilities to community organisations. What we have seen is that that simply cannot be done, because what happens when community groups have resources withdrawn from them by government is that the people of this country suffer. In New South Wales we have seen long-established programs being forced to close. This includes the Liverpool Women's Resource Centre. We see the Redfern financial counselling service and we see the Welfare Rights Centre; these are all organisations that provide vital services that are able to turn people's lives around. Their judgement and their compassion cannot be replaced. So I call upon the Premier of New South Wales to help those people— (Time expired)

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

Mr President, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.