Council
19 April, 2024
Tehan: wait times a “grim picture”
NEW data reveals people in the Corangamite local government area (LGA) are waiting up to 118 days for a range of vital Centrelink payments to be processed, with long delays common during a cost of living crisis.
Documents obtained by the Opposition from Senate Estimates in February shows from July 1, 2023 to December 31, 2023, it took Services Australia:
One-hundred-and-eighteen days to process the Additional Child Care Subsidy Transition to Work in the Corangamite LGA, over 90 days to process the Additional Child Care Subsidy Temporary Financial Hardship and more than 70 days to process the Age Pension in the Corangamite LGA.
It reportedly took over 73 days to process the Disability Support Pension, 66.5 days to process the Low Income Card and 64 days to process Essential Medical Equipment in the Corangamite Local Government Area.
Member for Wannon Dan Tehan said the sky-high delays paint a grim picture when so many in the community are experiencing hip pocket pain.
“Our community needs these payments made fast and efficiently, but they are being processed at a snail’s pace which only adds to people’s anxiety and stress,” he said.
“People who are struggling in the Corangamite area deserve better, and the Albanese Labor Government needs to fix this mess and improve performance.”
Shadow Minister for Government Services Paul Fletcher said these figures confirm what they have always believed – communities in every corner of Australia are being plagued by payment delays.
“The Coalition has been asking for this data for months and it’s clear why Government Services Minister Bill Shorten has been reluctant to offer it. It exposes his failures,” Mr Fletcher said.
“Bill Shorten can’t hide from these figures. No community is immune from Services Australia’s incompetence and it’s embarrassing.”