General News
28 September, 2023
Calls for welfare wait time transparency
MEMBER for Wannon Dan Tehan MP is demanding the Albanese Labor Government be transparent and reveal how long Australians are having to wait to receive government payments across the community, including Centrelink and Medicare claims, during this cost-of-living crisis.
MEMBER for Wannon Dan Tehan MP is demanding the Albanese Labor Government be transparent and reveal how long Australians are having to wait to receive government payments across the community, including Centrelink and Medicare claims, during this cost-of-living crisis.
In June, Coalition MPs and Senators asked Government Services Minister Bill Shorten how long Australians were having to wait to receive these government payments.
Mr Shorten responded to the questions by saying Services Australia does not collate or record data by electorate.
However, Questions in Writing obtained by the Opposition for the previous Parliament, reveal that Services Australia does in fact use electorate-level data which was provided to Labor MPs when the Coalition was in government.
Mr Tehan said the move to block the release of the Medicare and Centrelink data “didn’t pass the pub test”.
“The Albanese Labor Government’s decision to not be upfront with locals is a kick in the teeth for our community who are grappling with the cost-of-living crisis,” he said.
“I’m calling on Government Services Minister Bill Shorten to release this data so that it can be used to inform better policymaking.
“Every community is different, and Labor must come clean on how long it is taking residents in Wannon to receive a government payment or service.”
In 2021, the Camperdown area had an unemployment rate of 2.6 per cent, while Corangamite North, which includes Lismore, Derrinallum, Skipton and Darlington, had an unemployment rate of 3.4 per cent.
Shadow Minister for Government Services and the Digital Economy Paul Fletcher said Mr Shorten was a “serial offender when it comes to trying to avoid accountability”.
“Under Mr Shorten, every question ever asked of him during Senate Estimates has been answered past the due date,” he said.
“In May this year, the Speaker had to formally write to the Minister because formal Questions in Writing were left unanswered for more than 60 days.
“It has also been revealed that Centrelink call wait times have skyrocketed under his watch.”