Longer waits for battlers as government merges social services

Australians are facing longer waits for their benefits as the government continues its mergers of Centrelink and Medicare centres.

There have been 150 mergers across the nation so far, and customers told A Current Affair that they were facing waits that stretched into hours.

Commentator Susie O’Brien said there were a number of worries about the government’s program.

“I think the concern is that there are going to be less people doing more work,” she said.

However, Department of Human Services spokesman Hank Jongen said the mergers would “obviously” improve customer service.

In the new “one-stop-shops” Medicare customers are referred to specialised staff.

More mergers are planned across the country, but not everybody is happy.

Ms O’Brien said the government should be expanding its services, not cutting them.