FEDERAL Minister for Social Services Tanya Plibersek was in Ipswich last week to chat with food co-op services struggling to meet an increasing demand for assistance.
Ms Plibersek joined Member for Blair Shayne Neumann on Wednesday to see firsthand the work of Leichhardt-One Mile Community Centre and Ipswich Assist.
The two organisations have received funding under the Federal Government’s $460 million Financial Wellbeing and Capability Activity.
Leichhardt-One Mile Community Centre Coordinator Kym Tuuta said families were still struggling and increasingly relying on services like its food pantry and street pantry.
Volunteers from the Riverview Neighbourhood House also joined Ms Plibersek at Leichhardt to discuss the range of services they provide for the local community.
Program Manager at Ipswich Assist Jason Budden said the service was making a difference with its ReSTORE grocery store which offers an alternative, affordable shopping experience for those experiencing financial hardship or are on a tight budget.
Ms Plibersek said it was great to see in person the positive impact the new funding was having.
“Services like Leichhardt- One Mile Community Centre and Ipswich Assist are lifelines for many Australians,” she said.
“It’s wonderful to see firsthand the assistance they’re providing to the Ipswich community.
“There’s enormous demand right across Australian communities and that’s why we’ve doubled funding for food relief organisations like Oz Harvest, SecondBite and Foodbank, and we’ve added another relief organisation to that program called Good360 that provides not only food relief, but products like toothpaste and computers and toys and all sorts of products that are perfectly good, but they might have a slight problem with the packaging or something and they end up being thrown into landfill.
“We know that there’s a lot of cost-of-living pressures, but we are trying to assist both through direct investment with organisations like this that are delivering services right across Ipswich and right across the country, and also with higher wages, lower taxes and more assistance through the benefits that people are receiving as well.”
Under the latest round of the Financial Wellbeing and Capability Activity, Leichhardt-One Mile Community Centre received a 20 per cent funding boost for Emergency Relief services it provides to residents in and around the suburbs of Leichhardt, One Mile and Wulkuraka, along with programs for people of all ages and cultural backgrounds.
Ipswich Assist has received a 120 per cent funding boost for Emergency Relief to provide assistance to people in crisis or facing financial hardship through reSTORE and other services.
Mr Neumann said the funding boost for the Ipswich services was a godsend and would help struggling families, who may be facing tough choices, like between buying new school uniforms or groceries, or keeping the lights on or paying their phone bills.
“I’m proud that we’re continuing to support some outstanding local emergency relief providers with this funding so we can give a helping hand to more people who are struggling.”
