LPT: if anybody needs to but can’t get through to Centrelink, go into one of the services Australia branch. If they can’t fix your problem, they’ll connect you to an internal number which doesn’t just hang up on you.
It’s fucking disgraceful that they don’t even answer the phone anymore. Seriously one of the stupidest things they’ve rolled out. There’s no ifs or buts about it, it’s disgusting and needs to stop.
You can also try calling the complaints number and they can do the same thing as the branch people, but I’ve heard conflicting reports about this. It used to be how you had to get through, but I’ve heard recently that sometimes that number just hangs up on you too. But if they do answer, they’ll will usually just put you through to a non hanging up number, at least if it means you won’t make them do the paperwork to lodge a complaint.
Also, when you do get through, please try to remember that they’re just minimum wage people doing a shitty job. They don’t make the phones hang up on you, and they aren’t the reason your claims take months to process, or you were underpaid, or whatever’s gone wrong. You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. You can express your annoyance to them, but abusing or yelling at them doesn’t fix the problem, and won’t make them answer quicker.
If you really want somebody to yell at, write a letter or email to your local MP. Or the minister for social services. Or anyone else who’s penny pinching tactics caused this whole mess
Also remember you’ll get through this soon, even though it doesn’t feel like it in the moment
Perhaps there was a better way to phrase it, but I meant that their job is shitty, not that they themselves do shitty (quality) work
I wasn’t disagreeing with anything you said, though I have witnessed Centrelink staff putting a minimum amount of effort in when dealing with clients over the phone. Just sharing information that may help others get something out of a phone call that seems like it’s going nowhere.
The system is designed to drive people over the edge, so the workers cop the simmering frustration in the face every time someone does get through, which completely disengages them, causes them to put in minimal effort and thus drives more people over the edge as they’re mishandled.
Fucking machiavelli is creaming his goddamn jeans rn
The system is designed to drive people over the edge
Particularly when it comes to JobSeeker. The entire system is just filled with these arbitrary hoops and roadblocks designed to make people give up instead of actually helping them find work they are capable of keeping long-term. All the while you have the rest of the population, from major party politicians to the general public, who are fortunate enough to have never been in a position to deal with this system, dictating a completely fictitious narrative to the people who have lived experience with it. To be honest, I try not to dwell on it too much because the whole thing is sickeningly evil.
Fair enough, my apologies. It seemed like you interpreted my line referring to them as people making minimum wage doing shitty work as accusing the staff of always doing shitty work.
Nah not at all, the majority of the conversations I’ve had or witnessed with Centrelink staff have been positive ones.
