Alan Griffin (Bruce, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Shortland for giving me the opportunity to speak, as I have another appointment to attend. Last Friday, I had a meeting with a number of community groups in the local area, along with the members for Hotham and Isaacs. These community groups provide a range of different essential community services in an area that has real need—groups like the Springvale Benevolent Society and the Dandenong District Benevolent Society, who provide emergency relief for basics such as food and, at times, clothing for people who are in desperate need. Organisations like the Casey Cardinia Community Legal Service provide real assistance around ensuring that people can manage their financial circumstances in a manner which allows them to live with some dignity. Groups like the Vietnamese community of Victoria and the Cambodian Association of Victoria help ethnic communities with particular issues in relation to accessing services and support.

These groups have all had to suffer savage cuts under the government, which has had a massive impact on service delivery for the people that they look after. These are cuts that they were never, ever told about and that were never even hinted at prior to the election. These groups provide front-line services of real need to people with real needs, and the government have deserted them completely and unequivocally. They should be ashamed of what they have done in this area.