Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Hansard source

State governments are creating additional pressure on the services that the Commonwealth is offering. Of course, the Commonwealth, under Labor, will always do the best it can to ensure that the battlers of this country do get access to the services that are available; but the fact remains that we simply cannot fill the gaps that are being left as a result of state government cuts. The social security system of this country relies upon all levels of government doing their bit, and so when one section of government turns its back on the people of this country then there are going to be people who fall through the cracks. What we are seeing in this reality—in Victoria, for instance—are some 500 staff being cut from the Victorian state Department of Human Services. In today's Age, we see it reported that the number of children under protection and care orders has doubled since 2000. Yet in Victoria the state government— (Time expired)