Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Government Services, Senator Farrell. Can the minister outline to the Senate how the Albanese government is ending robodebt and putting people back at the centre of government services and making Australians' lives better?

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Polley. I know she's been very actively involved in the events surrounding robodebt. I can give you an answer to that question, Senator Polley. The myGov platform, a piece of key national infrastructure, is the front door through which important government services are delivered to most Australians. Today, Minister Shorten announced a new advisory group that will use expert insights to ensure—

Paul Scarr (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

An advisory group, woo hoo!

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes, experts—not like what you were using—to ensure future myGov improvements put the customer first. This follows on from another major announcement on Monday this week to immediately provide a $228 million funding injection to recruit 3,000 ongoing frontline and service delivery staff at Services Australia this financial year. This investment means 3,000 new recruits will join the agency in roles targeted at improving Centrelink and Medicare services.

Liberal-National governments decimated frontline services by ripping thousands of staff out of Services Australia, leading to increased call times and processing delays. The Albanese government will not sit on its hands and let things get worse. These 3,000 new staff will be critical to reducing call waiting times, speeding up claim payments and giving back to Australians some time in their busy lives. Importantly, these extra resources are in addition to the 850 emergency response staff already provided for in the current budget, who have already been called on to support the Queensland bushfire response. The former Liberal-National government oversaw an unconstrained and out of control— (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Polley, a first supplementary?

Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's a shame those opposite didn't learn anything from that debacle. Can the minister inform the Senate what these 3,000 new recruits will be doing and where these new jobs will be located?

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Polley for her first supplementary question. I'm pleased to announce that 800 people have already begun the onboarding process for the 3,000 new frontline and service delivery roles at Services Australia. These 3,000 new recruits will work in capital cities as well as in regional centres. This includes approximately 370 people who will be employed in my home state's capital of Adelaide and 90 in the senator's home state of Tasmania. By the end of the month, it is expected that 250 new recruits will be on board in metropolitan and regional New South Wales, with a further 650 to join them as part of this new staffing investment. I'm very proud to announce that all of these new jobs are ongoing APS roles.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Polley, a second supplementary?

Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

How does this crucial investment of 3,000 new recruits for Services Australia compare to the approach taken by the former Liberal government over the past decade?

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Polley for her second supplementary question. This investment is in sharp contrast to that of the former coalition government, who for a decade decimated Services Australia's front line, cutting 3,800 frontline staff to make way for malicious, illegal, profit-making programs like robodebt. One of the key recommendations of the Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme outlined what the government should facilitate:

… easy and efficient engagement with options of online, in person and telephone communication which is sensitive to the particular circumstances of the customer cohort.

That's exactly what this injection of resources does. It returns humans to the government services and puts an end to the cruel practices of the former government.