The Labor Government has once again turned its back on rural Australians, ripping away a crucial Services Australia terminal from the Clermont community despite demand for the service skyrocketing by 90 per cent.
The local Services Australia agent, operated by Clermont Community Housing and Other Services Inc. (CCHAOSI), is now left with just one computer to service an entire region, even as more and more people rely on it. Worse still, the service is only funded for two hours a day, forcing locals, many of whom travel long distances on dirt roads, to compete for limited access.
Federal Member for Capricornia, Michelle Landry, slammed the move as yet another blow to regional Australians, who are continually neglected by a Labor Government that prioritises cities over the bush.
“Rural communities are constantly treated as second-class citizens by Labor. They rip away services without a second thought for the families, pensioners, and vulnerable people who rely on them. This is disgraceful,” Ms Landry said.
Ms Landry recently visited CCHAOSI to see firsthand the critical work they do to support Clermont and its surrounding communities, despite being funded for a mere 10 hours per week.
“The staff are doing an incredible job under impossible conditions but instead of giving them more support, Labor has taken away a vital tool they need to help people. It’s an insult to the Clermont community,” she said.
The numbers tell the full story. In February this year, 162 locals sought assistance through CCHAOSI, a sharp rise from 114 people in the same month last year. The demand for more in-depth help has also surged with 40 people last month needing 15 to 30 minutes of support, up from just 25 a year ago.
“The statistics prove what the community already knows; Clermont needs more support, not less. Yet Labor’s response is to strip away services and leave rural Australians worse off,” Ms Landry said.
“This is a disgraceful decision by an out-of-touch government that has no idea what life is like in regional Australia. Clermont deserves better, and I will fight to have this vital service restored.”
ENDS
