Don’t blame the victim … Centrelink chief out of touch

Yesterday’s attempt by the Secretary of the Department of Human Services to effectively
blame Centrelink recipients for the robo-debt scandal is beyond belief, says Lyons Labor MP
Brian Mitchell.
At the Labor-initiated Senate inquiry, Kathryn Campbell said her department had
underestimated, “how many people would not clarify, and would not engage, and so I think
if I was to sum up what the problem has been it is that”.
Mr Mitchell says Centrelink is an agency that has been cut so heavily, “it is almost
impossible to engage with while remaining sane”.
“Its online portals are a maze, it can take hours to get through by phone, and when you turn
up in person you can receive conflicting advice or simply be told you can’t be helped and
should go online.
“It is frustrating for those of us who have to deal with it every now and then, but for people
who must report in weekly it is soul-destroying.
“If Kathryn Campbell wants people to engage more readily with her department, I suggest
she employ more staff and make the system easier to deal with.”
Mr Mitchell said the Senate heard that 217,403 letters were sent out between July and
December, with 36,305 resulting in no debt. Of 133,282 debts that were raised, another
12,733 were reduced or waived.
“The Government has been so desperate to make low-income Australians pay for its $50
billion hand out to corporations and banks that it simply did not do the due diligence it
should have, to ensure that letters seeking repayment only went to people who actually
owed the Government money,” Mr Mitchell said.
BRIAN MITCHELL MP FEDERAL LABOR MEMBER FOR LYONS