2018-06-25
A report by Anglicare Australia that shows the automation in Centrelink is ‘deliberately designed to make it hard for people’ comes as no surprise and will result in more people struggling to get by, Australian Greens Senator Rachel Siewert said today.
“Automation of Centrelink services makes it more difficult for some people who are accessing the social safety net. Making the social safety net as inaccessible as possible seems to be the modus operandi of the Turnbull Government who would rather a have a smaller safety net.
“It is also utterly unsurprising that services have been stretched to cope with people navigating an increasingly inaccessible Centrelink. This is such a strong example of conservative Government’s cut and slash mentality that means community services have to pick up the pieces.
“I for one have not forgotten that Australians who might be doing it tough are struggling to navigate the system, causing them immense distress. We need to ensure our social safety net is easily accessible for all and we need to be increasing the woefully low rate of Newstart so that Australians aren’t pushed further into poverty”.