Peter Lindsay (Herbert, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

No, it would not be there without me. I also pay tribute to an unsung hero, Rick Finerty, the call centre manager, who, of course, takes calls from all over Australia, including from Eden-Monaro, Rankin and Fisher. It is a great call centre and something that we can all be proud of. The Centrelink customer service centre continues the government’s commitment to providing a range of government services under one roof to help Australians reach their goals and full potential.

I remember from years ago the old Department of Social Security. Centrelink these days is a customer service organisation without parallel. In fact, many people in private business remark to me that, if they could run their businesses as well as Centrelink does in a customer service sense, they would have a great business. Isn’t that a great tribute to what the government has been able to do, in encouraging Centrelink to be so strongly customer focused? Certainly, I have that service in my electorate. I hope that all of my colleagues have the same service in their electorate.

It is an exciting time for Centrelink. They are helping to manage the government’s new reforms to the welfare system for working-age Australians. There will be a huge challenge in that and, of course, they will manage the access card arrangements when they are implemented for the benefit of all Australians. Congratulations to the staff at the Townsville Centrelink centre.

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