MINISTER SHOWS NO REMORSE IN RUTHLESS SCRAPPING OF ORANGE SENIORS VILLAGE HUB

This week in Parliament, Independent Federal Member for Calare, Andrew Gee, drew the nation’s attention to the Government’s callous Orange Seniors Village Hub funding cut.

On Wednesday 29 May, Mr Gee seized the opportunity during Question Time to ask the Minister for Social Services, Amanda Rishworth, whether funding would be restored to the vital service that has engaged more than 360 seniors since it was established.

“The Orange Seniors Village Hub provides support, education and community for many seniors in Orange, New South Wales, yet funding for the village hub program has been cut, with no support for it in the recent budget. This has devastated our seniors. Orange City Council has confirmed that the alternative funding your department has suggested does not cover seniors and will not support the Orange Seniors Village Hub. Will you restore funding to the Orange Seniors Village Hub and support seniors in Orange and across our region?” said Mr Gee.

Through representations made by Mr Gee on behalf of the hundreds of members and supporters of the Orange Seniors Village Hub, Minister Rishworth has been made aware of the invaluable service the program provides to older people in the Orange region.

Despite this, the Minister doubled down on her department’s decision to not renew the relevant funding program titled Seniors Connected or create a new funding program to replace it in the 2024/25 budget — thereby axing the program.

The Seniors Connected program allocated $4.7 million to establish and run 12 Seniors Village Hubs across Australia, including at Orange. As a result, each of the dozen Seniors Village Hubs will be forced to slash operations or close entirely.

Regardless of this, the Minister began her answer by patting the Government on the back for their care of senior Australians.

She then cruelly slammed the door shut on any further funding for the Orange Seniors Village Hub, stating categorically that “the funding will finish on 30 June.”

To add insult to injury, the Minister has still not acknowledged Mr Gee’s request for a meeting to discuss this issue.

“This is disgraceful treatment of our local seniors,” said Mr Gee.

“This funding has been shockingly cut and there has been no effort by the Government to source alternative support.

“$4.7 million is a drop in the bucket for the Government but it makes a huge difference to seniors in Orange and around Australia who love their local Village Hubs. The Government should be ashamed of this shabby treatment of our seniors who’ve worked hard all their lives to make a vital contribution to our region and nation.

“It’s an appalling way for the Government to repay them,” Mr Gee said.

ENDS

Media contact: Sinead Fogarty – 0417 852 386