Nick Sherry (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Superannuation and Corporate Law) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I want to take the opportunity to briefly rebut the comments from Senator Boyce as I was in the chamber when she spoke on the adjournment this evening. Senator Boyce alleged that the razor gang of the Rudd Labor government is proposing to make cuts to funding to the Bonnie Babes Foundation, which is a group that assists families who have lost babies through miscarriage. She made the allegation in question time and she made it again here this evening. You cannot cut a program if no current payments are being made or were promised to be made. You cannot cut if no payments are being made and no promise was given to make a payment. A promise was made by the former government and the former Prime Minister to Bonnie Babes, but no such promise was made by the then Labor opposition. As I have said, no current payments are being made for the telephone call service for which they have received assistance. I make that point first of all.

Secondly, Senator Boyce alleged that I was dismissive in my reference and my attitude in reference to Lifeline. I do not consider I was dismissive in my response at question time and I totally reject that assertion by Senator Boyce. What I did do during question time was refer to other organisations who offer a like or similar service that may require similar sorts of funding, such as Lifeline. I do not believe I was dismissive in making that reference. I think it was a legitimate reference to a similar type of service that is offered by another organisation.