Benalla Mayor Bernie Hearn said she was angry about the ongoing failure of the Federal Government to provide a Centrelink in Benalla.
When the Benalla Centrelink office was temporarily closed, the Federal Government, at the time, blamed COVID-19 and claimed it would re-open.
The rug was then pulled out from under the most vulnerable people in Benalla when (former) Federal Minister for Government Services Linda Reynolds decided it would not re-open.
At the time the government opened a Centrelink Agency Service which has proven inadequate and of little help to many.
“The lack of community consultation around this decision is infuriating,” Cr Hearn said.
“As mayor I hear concerns every day. Concerns from people we should be helping, not making things more difficult for.
“Benalla has one of the lowest rates of digital literacy, and one of the highest rates of social disadvantage in the country.
“This, coupled with very poor public transport links to towns like Wangaratta or Shepparton, makes the journey a difficult and expensive task.”
With limited, and often cancelled or postponed train services, and no bus service, often the only option for many would be a taxi.
A taxi from Benalla to Wangaratta, and back, would cost around $220 — simply not an option for the vast majority of people who rely on Centrelink payments.
Those include jobseekers, pensioners, carers, single parents and people living with disability.
Cr Hearn spoke of one local person sadly diagnosed with terminal cancer.
“She had to quit her job and was forced to rely on Centrelink payments,” Cr Hearn said.
“Unable to do what she needed at the Benalla Agency Service she has been forced, on three separate occasions, to travel to Wangaratta to provide photographic evidence to support her claim, and to sign documents.
“This is cruel and unreasonable, and it makes me sad for the person involved.
“But it also makes me very angry with a department that can do this to people who life has dealt a very poor hand.
“As mayor, I feel that I have a responsibility to fix this unjust and uncaring decision.
“I will be contacting the minister and imploring the government to revisit, and revise the decision and come up with a much better community friendly service appropriate to Benalla.
“I will not rest until we have a satisfactory outcome.”
Since the decision to close Benalla’s Centrelink there has been a change of Federal Government.
The new Federal Minister for Government Services Bill Shorten was in Benalla in March campaigning with Labor candidate Nadia David, in the lead up to the election.
He stood outside the former Centrelink office and denounced its closure.
However, when asked by The Ensign if re-opening the office was an election promise the answer was no.
Mr Shorted did, however, say the decision would be revisited.
“I think the Benalla community has been gaslighted by the ... government over the closure of (Centrelink),“ Mr Shorten said at the time, whilst still in opposition.
“When did smaller communities become viewed as disposable or commodified or not quite good enough to deserve actual Commonwealth public services?
“...Centrelink, as we've seen during COVID, demonstrates what we set up a Centrelink to be.
“We cannot have a safety net in this country which is just for blue sky days.
“We need a safety net which is there, which can respond in depth and in quality when people are doing it hard.”
At the time Mr Shorten agreed with community members that an agency service was not adequate in a place like Benalla.
“When you need a Centrelink, you don't just need a portal or a contracted telephone centre in another town,” he said at the time.
“You're not necessarily sailing on top of the world as it is.
“(You) shouldn't be treated as second class. This system in our country is that whilst we're the country of great opportunity, we are the country ... of a deep and generous safety net.
“And you never know when you're going to need it. And that's why it should be there.”
Mr Shorten was contacted for comment, however Service Australia general manager Hank Jongen providing a response.
“Since July 1, 2021 the Benalla community has had reliable and consistent access to Centrelink, Medicare and Child Support services through a Services Australia agent located on Nunn St,” Mr Jongen said.
“Before COVID-19, staff from the Wangaratta Service Centre would visit Benalla, but these visits stopped in April 2020 due to pandemic restrictions.
“The local Services Australia agent in Benalla is open 30 hours a week, up from 24 hours a week offered through the previous visiting service.
“The Benalla agent is open Monday to Friday from 9.30am to 3.30pm.
“Agents receive extensive training to ensure they can support customers.
“We have more than 350 agents across Australia, supporting regional communities of a similar size to Benalla.
“The agent provides advice on how customers can access the government assistance they need.
“They provide self-service facilities for customers and help people to access government services, including Centrelink, Medicare and Child Support.
“The agent can also connect local residents who have more complex enquiries directly to a Services Australia staff member using a dedicated phone line,” Mr Jongen said.