Petrol price hike hits home

By Kath Gannaway
PETROL vouchers have been cut in the face of rising petrol prices, a growing demand for welfare in Healesville and a funding budget that Healesville welfare agency HICCI (Healesville Interchurch Community Care) says is stretched to the limit.
HICCI manager Ann Grieve was preparing for a meeting with the Federal Government Department of Family and Community Services last week when the Mail spoke with her.
Ms Grieve said she had approached local member, McEwen MP Fran Bailey, who interceded to facilitate the meeting with a special adviser to the Minister Kay Patterson.
Ms Grieve said the reduction in petrol vouchers was partly an attempt to prioritise where money is being spent and partly because the petrol vouchers simply don’t cover the increased costs of car travel.
She said about half the clients the HICCI see in a week were receiving petrol vouchers but to continue to provide them would put too high a demand on available funds.
“We are now giving out very small amounts, just enough to allow people to pick up children from school or if someone is desperate to go down the line for a doctor or solicitor’s appointment or perhaps to court.”
Ms Grieve said the amount of Federal Government funding has not increased in the past five or six years, apart from CPI adjustments.
“We’re giving out the same amount of money we were eight years ago but we not only have more clients, but those clients have more complex needs than we used to see back then.
“If we don’t cut the petrol vouchers, we don’t have enough money for food and that’s the most important thing we want to see people fed,” Ms Grieve said.
A spokesperson for Minister Kay Patterson said the department provided $42,000 a year to the HICCI, based on Centrelink information.
“We provide emergency relief funding for people experiencing difficulties, who need money and money quickly for food and to live,” she said.
She said the matters raised at last week’s meeting were private but that issues raised would be followed up with the Minister.
“The bottom line is, there is a whole range of benefits available to people on a low income and this government has been extremely generous to people on low incomes.
“We understand people do need help and if there is a person on a low income who is not able to access family benefit for any reason they should contact Centrelink and try to rectify the situation.” she said.
Fran Bailey was overseas last week and unavailable for comment.