Centrelink apologises for web welfare shutdown

Date: December 16, 2015

(29)
Comments 91

Noel Towell

Reporter for The Canberra Times

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A screenshot of the Centrelink website.

Centrelink clients around Australia are furious over missing payments after the welfare agency's website stopped working on Monday and Tuesday.

Centrelink's parent department, Human Services, has apologised to clients over what it says are "intermittent issues" and encouraged users to log on to its mobile apps, which have been working normally.

A DHS spokesmen said on Tuesday that services were improving and customers would be told when full service had been restored.

Centrelink is pushing to move more and more of its service delivery online, using its website and specially designed mobile applications, and away from its overstretched telephone lines, which have been the subject of serious criticism.

Frustrated clients took to online forums to vent their anger on Monday and Tuesday, complaining of missing out on payments or having to make long journeys to Centrelink shopfronts after being unable to log on.

Are you having a Centrelink online crisis? Tell us ps@canberratimes.com.au

One user told of days of frustration trying to log on to the site.

"[The website] has been down since Friday for me," the woman wrote.

"Have tried multiple computers and have received a letter because I did not report and have not been paid.

"I have nothing.

"This is ... awful."

Another Centrelink client tried getting up in the small hours of Tuesday morning to log on, to no avail.

"Centrelink is down been trying all day to contact the site even thought that if I got up in the middle of the night and tried things may be easier ... disgraceful ... trying to get on for days," she wrote.

"I need to report my earnings which are zilch or face losing payments."

A DHS spokesman conceded there had been problems but said that work was under way to get the site functioning normally again.

"People using Centrelink online services have been experiencing intermittent issues," he said on Tuesday.

"However, service availability is improving. We will advise customers when full service availability is restored.

"Mobile apps are not affected and customers can still use the Express Plus mobile apps and phone self-service to complete their business with us.

"We apologise for the inconvenience to our customers."

91 comments so far

Another example of a incompetent Liberal Government, next thing all Centrelink and Medicare will be outsourced to the private sector at an enormous to the taxpayer with a huge financial gain to the private sector. I am sure the politicians receive their payments on time. I notice Centrelink offices have increased security on the ground for fear of reprisals against the staff as a result of this current government rotten policies making it almost impossible for the recipients to receive their entitlements'.

Commenter

Sandra

Date and time

December 15, 2015, 4:24PM
- Come on Sandra, drop the party nonsense, the Centrelink systems have been rubbish for years, over a succession of different governments.
  So tired of the energy that goes into bashing Lib or Lab with these discussions - more time should be spent going to the Minister responsible to get it FIXED.
  
  Commenter
  
  Dismayed
  
  Location
  
  Melbourne
  
  Date and time
  
  December 16, 2015, 9:06AM
- Sandra, thsi would be system put in place in 2009 by the Labor government.
  Get over your petty sniping.
  
  Commenter
  
  Keating
  
  Date and time
  
  December 16, 2015, 9:13AM
- Knowing someone well who works for Centrelink, the increased security is a direct result of a small percentage of rotten customers who threaten staff safety. Those on welfare want to really hope that staff don't decide to walk out due to safety concerns. Then there really will be something for them to complain about.
  
  Commenter
  
  Michael
  
  Location
  
  Melbourne
  
  Date and time
  
  December 16, 2015, 9:59AM
- @Keating
  It is known for years that as soon as Libs come in the office they outsource all gov systems to private contractors. Who in turn outsource the work to China or India.
  Which means that the system becomes good in only paying money to overseas workers, totally ignoring Aussies in need.
  Howard, Abbott and Turnbull are very well known technical retrogrades who are scared of managing their own IT.
  
  Commenter
  
  Michael
  
  Date and time
  
  December 16, 2015, 10:33AM
- @Sandra, @Michael, clearly all the fault of the Liberals. After all, the ALP from 2007 did nothing, absolutely nothing, bar spend...no I mean waste...other peoples money because their level of competence was beneath any form of proactive management or decision making. Wake up before you find all the lights have been turned out by the folks who leave as they tire of carrying the load.
  
  Commenter
  
  Oscar Jones
  
  Location
  
  Southbank
  
  Date and time
  
  December 16, 2015, 11:33AM
- @Keating
  No this would be the System that the Howard Government introduced in 2004 when it locked the government into a 10 year contract to "upgrade" the system. When Howard introduced the Job Network computer system and related software there were all manner of problems and now the whole chaotic outdated system is resting on a mainframe that dates back to the 1980's ( funnily enough it is called ISIS) Some of the software still operates on windows 95.
  
  Commenter
  
  Dreyfus
  
  Location
  
  Grafton
  
  Date and time
  
  December 16, 2015, 4:09PM
- Rubbish. The amalgamation of Centrelink,Medicare, CRS and Child Support and the mess with the computers started under Labor and especially Tanya Plibersek. The amalgamation with mismatched computer systems is entirely down the them. The system was patched up with blu tack and sticky tape. No-one thought about the computer and phone systems until the amalgamation happened and failed to connect then Plibersek turned and ran.
  Then all the resources were pumped into the Medicare phone system because all the SES appointed to DHS were from Medicare.
  Centrelink has been bashed unmercifully by the Medicare Mafia in charge. They have bullied and harassed Centrelink staff from the start. Don't look for anything to improve anytime soon.
  
  Commenter
  
  Freddo
  
  Date and time
  
  December 16, 2015, 8:53PM
- This government keeps retrenching staff and Centrelink.
  
  Commenter
  
  Yes Minister
  
  Date and time
  
  December 16, 2015, 9:08PM
- Another leftover Scott Worryson disaster. Just like yesterdays deficit disaster.
  
  Commenter
  
  Mr Disaster
  
  Date and time
  
  December 16, 2015, 9:12PM

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