"I accept the Minister's approach that, where there are better credentialed individuals offshore for particular facets of the smart card project it is appropriate for them to be engaged. But I made plain to the Minister that it should not be assumed that all requisite expertise was offshore."

Centrelink call centers also got a mention in the 2006-07 budget with an additional A$115 million funnelled towards meeting peak demand and reducing call-waiting times by increasing self-service telephone services.