Government Services Minister Katy Gallagher gives Services Australia staff some well-earned praise. Photos: Michelle Kroll.
Services Australia has reason to be pleased with itself, with the latest data showing further improvements in social security and Medicare claim times.
Staff were told exactly that at the agency’s mid-year report event when Government Services Minister Katy Gallagher outlined some successes and challenges.
The results show sustained progress over the past 12 months, with significant improvements in several areas.
These include PBS Safety Net claims now being processed within just one day on average, down from 146 days during the same period last year.
Medicare entitlement claims are processed in 10 days, down from 119 days previously, and the wait time for Medicare rebates has dropped from seven days to two.
Wait times have also continued to improve across most social security payments, including significant drops for paid parental leave (three days, down from 31 days) and the age pension (33 days, down from 84).
“I think it’s really important to start and acknowledge there are things that are going really well, and government services and Services Australia should be very proud of that,” the Minister said.
“We’ve seen big improvements in a whole range of areas, and I feel that under David [CEO David Hazlehurst] and his team’s leadership, a real focus on customers, customer experience and a focus on the people that we’re here to serve.
“Having said that, I think there’s an acknowledgement there are areas that we need to do better, that we need to continue to focus on.
“And there’s going to be all those challenges that come around that we didn’t even know were an issue – I know that they’ll be coming, I don’t know what they are, but I know they’ll be coming – and how we deal with that.”
It was Senator Gallagher’s first address as Government Services Minister since she was reappointed to the role following the federal election.
That ministry was added to her portfolio following the resignation of Bill Shorten just before the election.
Senator Gallagher has the huge task of being the Minister for Finance, Women, the Public Service, and Government Services.
“I thought I should begin by saying I’m absolutely thrilled to have been appointed permanently to the role of Government Services,” she said.
“As people would know, before the last election, I was a bit of a stand-in Minister – not that the PM ever said that – but it was towards the end of the term after Minister Shorten left.
“And I was really thrilled, I could see the opportunities that came from combining Government Services, Finance and the Public Service under one Minister.
“And I can tell you, I’m not going to waste that opportunity that comes with having that combined portfolio.”
Services Australia CEO David Hazlehurst outlines some of the agency’s tasks ahead.
Senator Gallagher told staff that the recent election result showed the value Australians placed on the public service.
“Obviously, cutting public servants and all those kinds of games have been played in politics for a long time, but usually to a much more positive reception than what was received,” she said.
“And I have to say that I think part of that – the reason for that – is through Services Australia, you’ve been able to, through your work, translate to the Australian people why it’s important that we resource public services.
“So, that’s a very, very significant, I think, difference or a change that’s happened over time and one that I’m very pleased to have seen.”
The new performance data comes as the government seeks to outline its vision for improved service delivery over its second term by harnessing the digital transformation to continue delivering faster, more accessible services.
Senator Gallagher said while that presented an unlimited opportunity, they couldn’t “shoot ourselves in the foot” by getting it wrong and reducing trust or slowing down some of the work that needs to be done.
Finding the right balance that genuinely met people where they were and offered them a choice of service was the challenge ahead.
“We can’t be seen to be going, ‘Everyone, you are all coming this way and get a mobile phone and a digital ID and join us’. That’s not going to be the approach,” she said.
“It wouldn’t be successful, it wouldn’t be fair, it wouldn’t be right. And it would also mean that I think our success or otherwise utilising new technologies would be significantly challenged.”
Mr Hazlehurst also addressed staff and, among other things, said while AI would be taken advantage of to help deliver services even faster in the future, it would not be used in any way to make decisions.
“Our vision is to deliver simple, helpful, respectful, transparent services that help Australians get on with their lives. So, the starting point for us is to get the basics right …,” he said.
“Process claims, answer phones and meet with people at our service centres in a timely way – being there for people when they need us.”
Original Article published by Chris Johnson on Region Canberra.
