By LACHLAN MOORHEAD
WELFARE services in Casey are no clearer on the amount of government funding that will be cut from their programs following the release of the federal budget on Tuesday.
Recommendations made in the Commission of Audit this month suggested that the government cuts funding for its Financial Management Program from $100 million to $6 million.
Manager of Casey North Community Information and Support Service Susan Magee, speaking on Wednesday, said it was too soon to tell how severe of the cuts detailed in the budget would be and their impact on her service, but she expected pain.
“The budget is very broad, we don’t know how it’s going to financially impact on us with our funding yet, and it’s really difficult to find that information,” she said.
“We have people up in Canberra, overall there is concern about the announcements and impacts on disadvantaged people in this community.
“What we do know is that some of the bigger announcements, changes to family payments, changes to aged pension, changes to the Newstart allowance for under 30s – all of those will impact people that are vulnerable and on a low income and create further disadvantage.”
Ms Magee said the recommendations outlined in the Commission of Audit suggested that severe cuts to Casey North CISS’s financial counselling and emergency relief services could take place.
“The bottom line is less resources and services to assist the most vulnerable and disadvantaged,” she said.
“If government goes ahead with a lot of the cuts they threatened, these are two particular programs that would be in even more demand of struggling families.
“We know the school kids’ bonus is going, so families will have less money for education expenses and that will lean hard on emergency relief, and financial counselling assists people who get into extreme financial hardship and with cuts that program would be in greater demand.”
La Trobe MP Jason Wood also voiced his concern last week over the potential funding cuts to Casey North CISS.
“I received information from Casey North Community Information and Support Services regarding their concerns and I’ve already written to the minister to request that their funding be maintained as I believe that they provide invaluable services to our community,” he said.
Holt MP Anthony Byrne said on Wednesday that the federal budget “attacks families, students, pensioners and the sick”.
“Jobseekers up to 30 will be prevented from accessing Newstart or Youth Allowance for a six month “waiting period”, then limited to six months before being removed from income support, before being permitted back on after a further six months,” he said.
“Many disability pensioners under 35 will be “reassessed” and those with “some work capacity” forced to seek employment.”
Check the News website this week for updates on the funding cuts to welfare in Casey.
