* Staff continually get facts wrong
    * Third of decisions overturned
    * Appeals cost taxpayers $33m a year

CENTRELINK has been forced to overturn more than a third of its decisions because staff continually get facts and legal advice wrong.

Complaints about Centrelink decisions surged 104 per cent in the last two years, making it the most complained about government agency in the country, the Welfare Rights Centre said.

Appeals against Centrelink's decisions cost taxpayers more than $33 million a year. More than one-third, 34.5 per cent, of its decisions were overturned on appeal, The Daily Telegraph reports.




More than 6.5 million Australians receive some form of payment from Centrelink each year.

In the 12 months to July 2009 there were 103,427 reviews of and complaints about Centrelink decisions.

The number of internal Centrelink reviews of its own decisions more than doubled from 40,474 in 2006-07 to 82,774 in 2008-09.

There were 13,429 applications to the Social Security Appeals Tribunal in 2008-09, up 56 per cent in the last two years.

In the same period the Ombudsman received 7224 approaches and complaints about Centrelink.

The largest number of complaints to the Ombudsman were from people on Newstart Allowance, followed by Disability Support Pension, Family tax Benefit and the age pension.

The Social Security Appeals Tribunal annual report found that 33.1 per cent of Centrelink's decisions it overturned involved an error of fact, and 14.7 per cent involved an error of law.

"As a legal centre we are puzzled by the lack of public outrage or scrutiny of this result, but you have to remember that we are dealing with some of the most vulnerable people in the community," Welfare Rights director Maree O'Halloran said.

"It is hard to reconcile the fact that over 30 per cent of decisions are found to be wrong, with Centrelink's own survey results which claim Centrelink has a payment correctness figure of 96 per cent."

The surge in complaints led to a 27 per cent - or $7 million increase - in the Social Security Appeals Tribunal's budget.

The tribunal spent $33.2 million in 2008-09 and the average cost of each appeal against a Centrelink decision was $1992.

Not really surprising when you think that the great unthinking 'general public'
have been brainwashed into thinking that those on welfare (as opposed to WEALTHfare)
are somehow undeserving, or are in the situation they are in because of their own fault, or are just bludgers who don't matter.

ACOSS and the Welfare Rights Centre need to do more to educate the great uncaring that these stereotypes have no basis in fact.

I think it`s amazing that people can be unemployed and still get paid, still get medical care etc.

Kat wrote on Sep 22^nd, 2010 at 7:47am:



So these people will at some point in the near future come off welfare and actually look after themselves instead of having the taxpayer do it for them?

If that is the case, they will have nothing to complain about, if they intend to live out their entire lives on welfare, looks like they will be complaining a little longer.

aussiefree2ride wrote on Sep 22^nd, 2010 at 1:57pm:


Huh!?

aikmann4 wrote on Sep 22^nd, 2010 at 2:21pm:


Imp, if you speak to any socialist they will tell you that unlimited access to welfare from cradle to grave is as fundamental as the air we breathe.

The best part it is always someone else (PBT) that has to pay for it.

Along with being a lifetime dole recipient we must also provide them with unlimited respect and sympathy.

Lucky I don't give a shiat what the leftards think. 

I too frown on the bludgers, but if ya don't give 'em the dole, do you think thye'd just lay down and die?

Nope, they'll just rob ya, which would be all well and good if we were allowed to defend ourselves and our property.

Kat wrote on Sep 22^nd, 2010 at 4:13pm:


Unfortunately, some cannot interpret any form of communication that doesn't involve dollar sign language - empathy does not compute!