And now you need an appointment to go into the office and ATO offices have had signage removed so they cannot be known to the public. What type of government is this?
The greatest revelation is that one cannot make an appointment on line. Having encouraged self service, and digital connection, itâs just not possible! 
Two options.
- Turn up without an appointment, wait in the queue until itâs your turn, once ID checked and lack of appointment noted take a seat. When called the nice person at the next counter may redirect you to self service, or if it seems too hard make an appointment for you. Leave and return at some future time/date knowing you now have an appointment.
- Call the general service number, wait on line, navigate the prompts and hopefully the system will recognise your voice print plus spoken request for an appointment. Not sure what follows, as weâve been unsuccessful in that endeavour.
Assume someone in the community has completed option 2 and could assist others yet to face the booking system with further comment? The wise one is nominee for her mum who is in Aged Care, a learning curve without end.
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I encountered this in around 2010. At that time, the public enquiry areas were closed in most ATO offices, with the signage removed to cut down on the number of people unwittingly turning up to a location where they couldnât receive help.
The gradual closure has happened under multiple governments, each would be lucky to be described as a good government.
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Ha! I have tried to set up voice print twice, it does not work.
So many issues with Clink over the years. Just getting a new Low Income Health care card last year took 3 months, [4 visits to the office and 5 phone calls] because of their endless incompetence. One of these days when I have the energy, I will report it to the health ombudsman.
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If youâre in NSW, ServiceNSW comes to your regional or country town approximately every 5 weeks. This gives you the opportunity to update your driverâs license, registration, vaccinations, personal details and digital proof of most of the above. Staff are very polite and helpful, they also follow through with what they say will happen. Not sure other states have the same services and if not, why not?
ACT has similar services out in the suburbs but perhaps not as extensive.
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We thought things were bad then. These days itâs a toss up to decide who youâll vote for. Weâll get there in the end though, this pandemic hasnât made it easy for most of us, including politicians. One thing is for sure, we still need a change of government.
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Ha! I had to book an appointment at Centrelink last week. I showed up 45 minutes before the time to locked doors and a queue. Got let in 25 mins after time and had to queue to check in. Then 1hr 35mins past appointment time and told I had missed it, and book again and come again another day. There were 20 staff, 10 watching you stood on dots and social distanced, and 2 staff behind screens serving customers. No staff wore face masks. We are told by Canberra, COVID is not a worry, go about your lives, unless that involves any department run by the Commonwealth who never got the memo.
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According to this recent change in service staffing no worries? 30% less demand? It remains to be understood what the relationship is between the call centre and offices but the decision sans adding staff inside Centrelink has a certain aroma at first whiff.
