p>The effects of the Abbott government’s decision to cut vital services are being felt locally Catherine King, Federal Member for Ballarat said today.
Child and Family Services (CAFS) Ballarat is set to lose $100,000 from their counselling budget as part of these extreme budget cutbacks. CAFS provides vital support for struggling families who now have to turn elsewhere for help.
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Hundreds of community services organisations across Australia remain in the dark about whether they can continue to provide services this year with the Abbott Government refusing to confirm funding for 2015.
Other community services organisations had their funding cut all together by the Abbott Government just two days before Christmas.
The effects of the Abbott government’s decisions to cut these vital services are being felt locally Catherine King, Federal Member for Ballarat said today.
“These organisations provide critical services such as distributing food and blankets to low-income families, supporting people with disabilities, delivering training programs for young people, domestic violence referrals and critical financial counselling and support,” said Ms King.
“It’s bad enough that financial counselling providers and organisations providing housing and homelessness advice have been gutted by the Abbott Government, but it’s adding insult to injury to refuse to provide certainty for the few remaining services that have survived.
“We’ve seen today that Child and Family Services (CAFS) Ballarat is set to lose $100,000 from their counselling budget as part of these extreme budget cutbacks. CAFS provides vital support for struggling families who now have to turn elsewhere for help.
“This comes off the back of the recent loss of Ballan hospital’s emergency relief funding – leaving local people dealing with homelessness and hardship out in the cold.
“After suffering under months of uncertainty, after $240 million was ripped out of the Department of Social Services budget, our community support organisations are being ripped apart and are unable to plan for the future.
“The Abbott government needs to stop their ideological cutbacks, and start helping the very people that support the most vulnerable members of our society.
“The continued bungling of the process may destroy services we have left.” said Ms King.