St Vincent de Paul Society ABN: 68 879 107 149 Unit 4-5 22 Thesiger Court Deakin ACT 2600 PO Box 243 Deakin West ACT 2600 Telephone: (02) 6202 1200 Facsimile: (02) 6285 0159 Email: admin@svdpnatcl.org.au Website: www.vinnies.org.au Donation Hotline: 13 18 12
Forgotten People left out in the cold Media Release 12 May 2009 The St Vincent de Paul Society National Council President, Mr Syd Tutton, has expressed grave concerns about the message this year’s Federal Budget sends to many Australians: “Sole Parents and Unemployed People together make up a significant proportion of those we assist. They have now been left out in the cold, failing to receive the income increases they badly needed. This Budget sadly reminds us that they continue to be forgotten.” Dr John Falzon, National Council CEO, noted: “Those who were demonised in the past have emerged as the Forgotten People again. This Budget fails to learn from the past, when the Forgotten People were systematically left out of this nation’s prosperity. “You can’t grow fairness on the tree of exclusion. Sole Parents and unemployed people have once again been excluded from the income increase they so desperately needed to stay afloat. “In some parts of Australia these groups make up 60% of those we are called on to assist. They are doing it tough. “We, as a nation, have learnt from this Recession that people are not to blame for being pushed out. “This Budget will be good for job creation and we are happy for those who have received pension increases but it will fail to properly protect the Forgotten People.” Contact: Dr John Falzon 0421332247
Every day in Australia the Society helps many thousands of people through Home Visitation, Migrant and Refugee Assistance, Hospital Visitation, Prison Visitation, Aged and Special Care Services, Retail Centres, Sheltered Workcentres, Hostels for Homeless Men, Women and Children, Overseas Relief, Disaster Recovery and Youth Programs.