Random Analytica: Centrelink. Average Speed of Answer

by Shane Granger

I’ve been following the discussion about raising the rate of social security payments above the Henderson Poverty line. At the same time, I’m seeing a lot of chatter about people trying to access the Centrelink call centre and not being able to get through. I ranted about the Average Speed of Answer back in 2018. If you have never heard of the ASA, it is basically the time it takes for the Call-Centre to pick up your call. Yes, if you hang up your data doesn’t count.

Anyway, I thought I’d crunch the numbers again to see if last year’s data was any guide.

To my shock it had more than halved!

I’m still processing the big drop and won’t analyse today. You can read the Department’s thoughts about the significant time savings in their 2020/21 Annual Report (or I’ve attached the relevant two pages via 2021_AnnualReport_DHS_Pg102~03).