SENATOR CAROL BROWN

SHADOW PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY FOR

FAMILIES AND PAYMENTS
LABOR SENATOR FOR TASMANIA

LABOR WELCOMES 11th HOUR FUNDING REPRIEVE FOR ST GILES

Funding for St Giles will provide a short term reprieve for an innovative and valuable
program that provides early childhood speech and behaviour intervention for at risk
children and their families across the north of Tasmania.

Senator Brown welcomed Minister Morrisons 11th hour decision to provide funding
for the vital program that the Abbott Government had previously axed following a
disastrous tender process last year.

Staff and clients at St Giles have been placed under extreme stress since they were
informed that they would not be receiving ongoing funding just days before
Christmas.

The community sector has faced nearly a year of uncertainty and concern which has
resulted in downgraded services and job losses.

The Governments announcement clearly acknowledges that the cuts would have
significantly compromised services in Tasmania.

However, the funding announcement fails to address other frontline service gaps
created after the Abbott Government savagely cut $270 million dollars from vital
supports.

A large number of other organisations had their funding cut after 30 June and will be
forced to cut back services and staff or even close their doors forever.

The Government must reverse these unfair, short-sighted cuts in their entirety and
stop drip feeding the community sector with short term funding.

This chaotic approach is not the way to run vial services.

Labor has called for an Auditor Generals investigation into the disastrous
management of the funding programs for vital community services for vulnerable
Australians.

FRIDAY, 10 JULY 2015