Services Australia, the agency responsible for managing public health and social security schemes in Australia, including Medicare and Centrelink, has responded to concerns about staffing levels. Despite allegations that thousands of calls went unanswered, leaving Australians without vital services, Services Australia has dismissed these concerns. According to a spokesperson, the agency has experienced staff cuts but this is due to staffing returning to pre-pandemic levels as indicated in the Budget papers. The spokesperson also mentioned that Services Australia is increasing its emergency response capabilities by hiring additional staff and bringing existing staff back in-house. They assured that resources are being adjusted to maximize frontline staff levels.
The Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) has expressed worries about Australians not being able to receive necessary help due to significant staffing shortages. Melissa Donnelly, the CPSU National Secretary, emphasized the urgent need for the federal government to take action to address staffing issues and secure the future of current employees. The union is concerned that the situation will worsen following budget cuts, with an estimated loss of 1,868 staff members. Donnelly said that tens of thousands of calls are going unanswered daily, and the reduced staffing levels will only exacerbate the problem. She also highlighted the potential delay in other important work due to the staffing crisis. The union believes that Services Australia should prioritize retaining trained and experienced staff in order to effectively address the attraction and retention crisis within the agency.