Gai Brodtmann (Canberra, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On Christmas Eve last year, an organisation in my electorate of Canberra was informed that it would have its funding cut. What a cruel Christmas present for my local community from this heartless government. But my community was not alone. Around Australia, community organisations are reeling from this government's dramatic cuts to community grants. Some $270 million has been slashed from some of our most important frontline services. Right around the country, the community sector is being ravaged by these cruel cuts. And vulnerable Australians will bear the brunt. These organisations are the backbone of communities. They provide services to our most vulnerable people. Emergency relief, financial counselling, parenting programs, support for bushfire victims, housing and homelessness organisations and organisations for people with disability have all been affected.

In Canberra, the ACT Chinese aged care service, which provides a range of key services to elderly members of the Chinese community across all of the ACT has had its funding cut. The ACT Chinese Australian Association had been receiving funding from the government to conduct the ACT Chinese aged care information and referral services to help elderly Chinese to communicate and remain in place. Those services have been cut too.

I call on the government to reverse these heartless cuts.