Thursday, 4 August 2022

Western Victoria Region

Mr GRIMLEY (Western Victoria) (12:44): (1890) My question is for the Minister for Disability, Ageing and Carers. Neighbourhood houses offer a valuable community service. Over the last few weeks I have received many letters from neighbourhood house coordinators in my region who are all extremely concerned with ongoing government funding. These letters also coincided with a visit I made to the Hamilton Community House, where I met with Debra and she talked about the important work that her house and the volunteers undertake to help their community. It was here that I learned that our neighbourhood houses are in danger of losing long-term recurring funding. Neighbourhood houses are one of our major providers of adult and child services and employers of more than 5000 people, most of whom are women and are universally loved by their communities. But the most intriguing statistic I have been alerted to is that in 2020 every dollar invested in neighbourhood houses generated at least $22 in community value. Minister, will you commit to long-term ongoing funding for our neighbourhood houses, especially for those in my region of Western Victoria?