MEDIA RELEASE - LABOR’S DIGITAL BRAIN DRAIN AT SERVICES AUSTRALIA 

PAUL FLETCHER MP

Shadow Minister for Science and the Arts

Shadow Minister for Government Services and the Digital Economy

Manager of Opposition Business in the House

MEDIA RELEASE

5 December 2022

LABOR’S DIGITAL BRAIN DRAIN AT SERVICES AUSTRALIA 

The Albanese Labor Government’s decision to cull 1000 ICT contractor jobs at Services Australia is further confirmation of the digital brain drain under Labor, meaning the digital service experience is likely to get worse not better, Shadow Minister for Government Services, Paul Fletcher, said today.

“Services Australia has confirmed that 1000 contractor jobs have been terminated just before Christmas, with no new projects for the contractors to work on,” Mr Fletcher said. 

“Services Australia has confirmed the contractors were involved in the delivery of the landmark Welfare Payment Infrastructure Transformation project, a long-term billion dollar overhaul of legacy ICT systems initiated by the Coalition Government. 

“Losing these tech jobs means a missed opportunity to improve the digital service experience of Australians who are transacting with Centrelink and Medicare.

“This hit to digital service delivery is revealing. The Albanese Labor Government is shifting resources away from more efficient and customer friendly digital service delivery to the paper-based over-the-counter work modes of the past.

“Most Australians have shown a clear preference to access government services and payments digitally – but Minister Shorten is much more interested in more permanent APS employees because of course that means more union members.

“It is hardly surprising that a former union official does not know or care much about customer service and user experience – but the sad consequence for Australians dealing with Services Australia is that they can expect plenty more confusing paper forms, slow turnaround times and underwhelming customer service.”

“Mr Shorten couldn’t even bring himself to implement a single new digital service delivery initiative in the Budget. 

“The Opposition has used Senate Estimates to ask Minister Shorten and his agency a series of detailed questions about Labor’s contractor cuts and service delivery plans, but so far no response has been received. 

“Minister Shorten needs to explain exactly how many IT contactor jobs will be cut and when, and why he is refusing to continue the Coalition’s work on improving government services for all Australians through better digital service delivery,” Mr Fletcher said.

ENDS

Further information: Jack Abadee 0403 440 099