April 10, 2018 More harsh cuts for communities in regional and remote WA Access to health, welfare and education services for thousands of vulnerable people in regional towns are the latest casualty of the McGowan Labor Government’s savage cuts to funding for communities in regional WA. The McGowan Government has slashed annual funding for the 105 Community Resource Centres (CRCs) in regional and remote communities from $56 million to $42 million from June this year. Shadow Minister for Royalties for Regions Jim Chown said the cuts would undoubtedly spell the end for some smaller CRCs, which were in many instances the only way some people could access government services in their community. “These centres and the people that staff them, often in a voluntary capacity, are literally a lifeline for many people in communities where government services have no other footprint,” Mr Chown said. “The funding cuts to CRCs will mean that access to essential services such as suicide prevention, child protection and domestic violence support may no longer be delivered. “In addition to connecting people with government services, the CRCs in many remote communities are involved in almost every aspect of community life, including offering training and support to local businesses, organising social and tourism events and providing public internet access and printing services. “This is another rushed and short-sighted decision by this out-of-touch McGowan Government that will literally gut some communities and put some of regional WA’s most vulnerable and marginalised people at risk, all so the Premier can fund his $5 billion of city-centric election commitments.” Mr Chown said Minister for Regional Development Alannah MacTiernan had joined Education Minister Sue Ellery in her willingness to sacrifice communities and families in the bush. “Unlike them, I have engaged with the community, I care about the community and I will fight for the community,” Mr Chown said. “I call on the McGowan Government to reconsider this decision and, like their reversal on their cuts to School of the Air, reinstate funding to 105 CRCs across regional WA.” Media Contact |
