Wednesday 14 June 2017

Blacktown City Council Media Release - Cheap Stat Politics

MEDIA RELEASE
Description: Description: BCC Logo 2007 Ver - Coloured - Outline Text

13 June, 2017

The Mayor of Blacktown City, Councillor Stephen Bali has accused the Federal Government of using raw data to play cheap stat diversionary politics.
Councillor Bali says a proper analysis of the suburbs where it’s claimed inordinate numbers of Centrelink clients are not reporting for interviews shows the rate is about the same for each suburb.
“Blacktown is one of the largest cities in Australia – so when the raw data is chased of course there are going to be more people for anything in any category, whether its road accidents, heart attacks, or children crossing the road.
“But, when the rate is more properly expressed as a percentage of the population rather than by raw data, it reveals something perhaps Centrelink wants to hide.
“There is only about a one percent difference between the highest and lowest across the 15 suburbs reported by Minister Tudge,” he said.
“This shows to me that, rather than Blacktown having a problem, Centrelink has a systemic client service problem across the nation that it is unable to solve.
“If there was a problem with individual areas, you would expect larger spikes – but the fact all 15 are all within one percentage point belies this.
“I would have thought that by now, particularly after the flak his department copped over the “Robo debt” program that Minister Tudge would have learnt some messaging and client service lessons.  Apparently not.
“Rather than playing cheap shot diversionary politics and blaming the people, this shows Centrelink should be working to improve its customer service.
“The Minister should be coming to us with the solution, rather than the problem.  Let’s start with a return to previous levels of funding for youth employment programs.”
% Rank
Suburb and Centrelink Raw Data Ranking
Centrelink Stat
Suburb Population
Percentage
1
1.       Caboolture QLD
387
21929
1.76%
2
15.   Morwell VIC
217
14005
1.55%
3
5.    Deception Bay QLD
276
19672
1.40%
4
3.      Mildura VIC
329
30647
1.07%
5
11.   Woodridge QLD
241
24919
0.97%
6
13.   Liverpool NSW
218
24095
0.90%
7
4.       Frankston VIC
280
35009
0.80%
8
2.       Blacktown NSW
333
43378
0.77%
9
14.   Southport QLD
217
28315
0.77%
10
8.       Dubbo NSW
245
32327
0.76%
11
9.       Auburn NSW
244
32327
0.75%
12
10.   Dandenong VIC
244
33122
0.74%
13
6.       Werribee VIC
276
37737
0.73%
14
7.       St Albans VIC
255
35091
0.73%
15
12.   Orange NSW
225
35990
0.63%







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