When was the last time you were left waiting on hold?

Chances are, pretty recently.

Centrelink is under scrutiny with their telephone wait lines ballooning last financial year, with some people waiting over an hour for help.

Chris Smith speaks with the General Manager of the Community Engagement division at Centrelink Hank Jongen.

“The government has given us the funding already to provide additional resources of up to 250 staff.

“The core of our problems are our computer systems. They mean we don’t have real live information for our staff to work with.

“They were developed in the 80s. They need an overhaul.”

Jongen said the additional staff should see a drop in wait times, but a $1 billion investment in new technology will be spread across a seven-year program.

Listen to the full interview below