Premier Admits Low Priority for Poverty Reduction
Feb 15, 2012
John Gardner MP
Shadow Minister for Families & Communities
Shadow Minister for Housing
Shadow Minister for Disability
Shadow Minister for Youth
Premier Admits Low Priority for Poverty Reduction
Premier Weatherill has contradicted one of his Ministers in relation to Government cuts of 44 financial counsellor positions, and described anti poverty measures as a low priority.
Shadow Families Minister John Gardner has today urged the Premier to meet with the non-Government sector, which has seen demand for financial counselling services increase by up to 373 per cent since the Government’s cuts to 44 financial counsellors.
“Cost of living pressures have led to massive increases in demand on NGOs for poverty relief and financial counselling. But in Question Time, the Premier callously ruled out any support for financial counsellors in the non-Government sector,” Mr Gardner said.
In reply to questioning from Mr Gardner, Premier Weatherill said:
“There is no doubt that we have had to make judgments about moving some of our resources from areas of lower priority to higher priority. We make no apologies for that and, indeed, we think that financial counselling is something which is appropriately handled within the non-government sector. We don't think it is core government business for us to be doing that sort of activity.”
“Instead we have seen the Government put priority on a retirement package for Mike Rann, expensive media training for Ministers, and an unnecessary re-opening of Parliament with all pomp and ceremony,” Mr Gardner said.
“The Premier also contradicted his own Minister, Ian Hunter, who earlier in the day told the public and the sector a different story.”
Minister Hunter said on morning radio:
“We’re talking to the sector and we’re saying to them ‘Look, if you really are of the view that you haven’t got the resources and the demand is going up then give us that information and we’ll have a look at it.”*
“We have a Minister telling the non-government sector that the Government will consider a compromise; the sector has released figures showing an overwhelming surge in demand for their services; and now the Premier has said he doesn’t think it is government’s role to do this sort of poverty alleviation work,” Mr Gardner said.
“The Government is clearly in chaos, and low income South Australians in need of support are the ones who are suffering. The Premier needs to meet with these stakeholders, as Members of the Opposition have done, and get working on fixing this mess.”
* 15/2/12 – ABC Radio 8:30am News