Tony Zappia (Makin, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Manufacturing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I note that earlier today the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection hosted a refugee week function in Parliament House. I also note, that after having allocated ongoing core funding of $140,000 per year in this year's budget to the Refugee Council of Australia, the minister then, without explanation, cut the funding. The minister claims that he did not know the funding was in his own budget. This is another example of Abbott government ministers not understanding their own budgets.

As Refugee Council of Australia CEO Paul Power said:

This decision is petty and vindictive and is symbolic of the Minister's very poor relationship with the non-government sector.

The Refugee Council of Australia was founded in 1981 by Major General Paul Cullen and today has a network of 185 organisations and hundreds of members. It is a reputable organisation that has existed for over 30 years. The support that these organisations provide refugees adds value to government funded programs and ultimately saves the taxpayers' funds. This is another example of a mean-spirited, penny-pinching decision of the Abbott government, where extreme right-wing ideology is driving policy instead of good government, fairness and common sense.