Quick fix for Centrelink woes revealed
Firing off an email to Services Australia’s spokesman could be the quick fix many with Centrelink issues are looking for.
But officials had to explain at a senate estimates hearing why people who had located Hank Jongen’s email on Reddit were able to have their issues resolved when people who turned up in person or rang the call line were still waiting.
Mr Jongen’s “email address” has been public for some time. He notably dished it out during the rollout of what is now known as robodebt, telling people who felt “lost in the system” to write to him directly.
Users on Reddit have since resurfaced the email address and took to the forum to ask whether it was a “scam”.
“I see a lot of people saying this is real and it helps but it feels very dodgy,” a user wrote last month.
Other users chimed in to say the address was “legit” and many added had their claims sorted within days.
But others weren’t so convinced: “Beating the system by contacting him is not legit,” another added.
“Imagine if word got out about this and the general public knew. Everyone would just go running to Hank.”
Liberal senator Maria Kovacic questioned why a single email could fix some people’s issues while “millions of other Australians are having to sit around and wait”.
“Why is this the case and how is it even fair?” she asked.
Acting chief executive Chris Birrer insisted the email was just one of the” multiple paths” people could access to escalate claims, such as going to a local MP for help.
Deputy chief Jarrod Howard told senators not all issues raised to Mr Jongen’s email were escalated.
“It’s a risk management approach that we take … We have to make those assessments in the same way that we make assessments when an MP contacts us or when someone writes to the CEO or myself,” he said.
“We will look to see whether or not at that particular point in time based on the circumstances that the customer needs to have their … claim escalated.”
Services Australia has been under pressure after it revealed it issued 2.8 million busy messages to callers in two months and answered less than a quarter of calls received over July and August 2023.
The agency was forced to return for another day of grilling by senators on Tuesday after it was lashed for failing to answer “basic questions” during its initial estimates appearance.
On Monday, Government Services minister Bill Shorten announced an additional 3000 staff would be hired as part of a $228m injection to deal with call wait times.
Officials were also forced to clarify they would be long-term jobs after the ad posted on the Australian Public Service portal listed the job as an “up to 12 months” position.
