Mond

Monday, 18 September 2006

NEIGHBOURHOOD HOUSE FUNDING FIGHT CONTINUES

Nationals Member for Benalla, Bill Sykes, joined Yvonne Evans and other Mt Beauty Neighbourhood House supporters in the ‘Walk of Hearts’ Celebration at Treasury Place last week as part of the ongoing campaign to get adequate funding for Mt Beauty and other Neighbourhood Houses.

Dr Sykes has been working with Yvonne Evans to get more project coordination hours and access to funding to conduct programs.

Dr Sykes said, “I join Yvonne Evans in welcoming the increase in her project coordination hours from 15 to 25 hours per week but I am left pondering why she cannot be paid for 40 hours a week – after all, we know that she works up to 60 hours plus per week on many occasions.”

Dr Sykes continued, “I am also staggered that the Minister for Victorian Communities, Candy Broad, will still not accept that Mt Beauty is a disadvantaged area.

“Ms Broad has been provided with new official statistics which confirm the Mt Beauty areas low economic wellbeing but still Ms Broad refuses to acknowledge local people’s situations and make funding available – as it used to be.”

Dr Sykes concluded, “I will continue to fight for ‘a fair go’ for the Mt Beauty Neighbourhood House and the community it services.

“It is time the Bracks Government lived up to its claim to govern for all Victorians not just those in Melbourne and the large provincial cities.”

Media contact: Bill Sykes (03) 5762 2100 or 0427 624 989