Joanne Ryan (Lalor, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise again today to talk about the budget delivered last May that just keeps on hurting families in my electorate of Lalor. Today I want to talk about the cuts to the Financial Assistance Grants. Wyndham City Council is set to lose almost $6 million in the next four years. It is an absolute shame. The Senate has told us that the Abbott government undertook no analysis of the impact these cuts would have on communities before making the decision to pause this indexation, and it is families in my electorate who will bear the brunt of that decision.

Earlier in the week I spoke about the Wyndham Legal Service and the cuts of $140,000 this year and next year to that legal service—which also supports the most needy in my electorate and assists people affected by domestic violence—only to find out that Attorney-General Brandis has reinstated the community legal centre funding to the Healesville Community Legal Centre. I stand here today to say that again and again and again I am on my feet to talk about the budget that just keeps hurting, yet we hear today that some people are having those decisions overturned—money reinstated. Well, I want the money for Wyndham City Council, and I want the money for Lalor, and I will keep getting on my feet. We have another few opportunities between now and the next budget to talk about the last budget, which we are just uncovering—still uncovering ways it is going to hurt our families. (Time expired)

See this speech in context