PENSIONERS AND CARERS WAITING LONGER FOR CENTRELINK PAYMENTS

Age pensioners and carers are waiting longer to have their payments approved by Centrelink.

Age pension and carers payment median processing times by Centrelink have dramatically increased.

Older Australians who have worked all their lives are being made to wait, on average, for two months just to have their age pensions approved.

Carers looking after loved ones are waiting an additional two and a half weeks, on average, for their payments.

The median times don’t even take into account instances when Centrelink requests further information, which can further delay the approval process.

And these are just the median processing times. The reality is we have heard horror stories about older Australians and carers waiting many months for their payments, living on the edge of their bank accounts.

We understand that age pension and carers payments can be complex. That’s why it’s so important that Centrelink has permanent full time staff who are supported, familiar and skilled to manage the often complex issues facing income support recipients.

Last year, Malcolm Turnbull axed 1,180 jobs from Centrelink, and now we’ve seen age pension and carer payment processing times completely blow out.

At this year’s budget, Malcolm Turnbull axed a further 1,280 jobs from Centrelink.

These job cuts will only make it more difficult to access Centrelink.  

Meanwhile, Malcolm Turnbull has outsourced 1,250 jobs to labour hire. This Government is selling Centrelink jobs piece by piece.

Morale at Centrelink is at an all-time low.

The Turnbull Government is simply trying to make it so difficult for Australians to claim income support in the hope they just give up.