Craig Kelly (Hughes, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I would like to raise an issue that is of concern to many residents of Hughes, one that will adversely affect in particular residents of Revesby, Panania, Picnic Point, East Hills and Milperra, not to mention Padstow and other surrounding areas in the neighbouring electorate of Banks. The issue is the announcement by this Labor government of the closure of the Centrelink office at Revesby.

However, upon investigating I find that the Centrelink office is actually not closing. They are merely slamming their doors shut and locking out members of the public, but it will remain an administrative office. By having the door slammed shut in their faces, many elderly pensioners and the disabled will now be forced to make the journey to the Bankstown office, where there is a lack of parking and no provision to be dropped off out the front of the centre, forcing many with mobility issues to walk a considerable distance and cross a busy road.

This closure is not even designed to reduce costs, in an attempt to start paying back Labor's record debt. It is simply a bureaucratic decision that will inconvenience the elderly and the disabled, who are already paying the price of this dysfunctional and divided government.

I also note that this Centrelink office in Revesby is directly opposite the electorate office of the member for Banks. I call on him to join in protest with me and the local community against this Labor government for slamming the door shut on our local community.

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