Funding restored for community groups

20 community groups which had their funding stripped by the Liberal National Party when in government have had their funding restored by the Palaszczuk Government.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Cameron Dick today hosted an afternoon tea for the groups at Parliament House to thank them for their work and announce that collectively the groups would receive $7.5 million in funding this year.

Ms Palaszczuk said that community-based health organisations play a vital role in our health system and the wellbeing of our community.

“They perform vital, highly specialised work supporting Queenslanders and their families. Some of these organisations may be small but the amount of support they deliver to the community is substantial.

“This is what community is all about. It’s what my government is about – supporting those organisations which make a real difference to the lives of thousands of Queenslanders.”

Mr Dick said that the very existence of these organisations was threatened in 2013 when the LNP was looking for soft targets. 

“Not content with attacking our doctors and nurses, not content with being part of a government that sacked thousands of public servants, the Leader of the Opposition went after some of the smallest and most vulnerable civil society groups delivering specialised services to Queensland families,” he said.

“Out of 20 organisations funded under the community group grant program, none were able to secure ongoing funding.”

Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Support Group State President Nicole Ireland said that the guaranteed three-year funding would give the group more security and allow them to deliver better services.

“There are over 700 stillbirths and 20,000 early pregnancies in Queensland each year, and this certainty of funding will allow us to better support bereaved parents at what is a very difficult time in their lives,” she said.

Epilepsy Queensland Chief Executive Helen Whitehead said the funding was momentus for her group.

“For patients and their families, this funding allows us to provide a whole-of-care approach, and offers us certainty for delivering some of the services we offer, including support for family members,” she said.

“One in 50 people suffer epilepsy, and this means we can continue our role to try to normalise epilepsy through education and awareness and to ensure we remain a one-stop-support shop for this battling epilepsy and their loved ones.”

The groups are:

• Advanced Breast Cancer Group
• Alzheimer's Association of Queensland
• Amputees & Families Support Group Qld Inc
• Arthritis Foundation of Queensland
• Australia Huntingtons Disease Association Qld Inc
• Australian Breastfeeding Association
• Better Hearing Australia Brisbane Inc.
• Cystic Fibrosis Queensland Limited
• Eczema Association of Australasia Inc
• Epilepsy Queensland Inc
• Lung Foundation Australia
• ME/CFS/FM Support Association Qld Inc
• Muscular Dystrophy Association of Queensland Inc
• Myasthenia Gravis Association of Queensland Inc
• Retina Australia (Qld) Inc.
• Self Help Queensland Inc
• Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Support Group (QLD) Inc
• The Compassionate Friends Queensland Inc
• The Queensland Asbestos Related Disease Support Society Inc
• Gynaecological Cancer Society Inc. 

ENDS

Media contact: Anna Jabour 0429 890 942