Amanda Rishworth (Kingston, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to condemn the Prime Minister and the Minister for Social Services' decision to cut support services for the forgotten Australians and former child migrants. One of the many cuts made to community organisations was to South Australia's Find & Connect Support Services. This cut is really starting to bite and it is jeopardising the opportunity for forgotten Australians and former child migrants to learn about their history and reunite with their families.

Following the incredibly important apology to the forgotten Australians and former child migrants by the former Labor government, the government of the day allocated $26.5 million to establish the Find & Connect Support Services. Unfortunately, the Abbott government turned their backs on the forgotten Australians in December last year when they cut $200,000 from the Elm Place Relationships Australia service. This cut is equivalent to almost half their funding and, as a result, this service has been forced to axe essential support services.

One very important service that was being provided was the highly skilled historian. The historian was working to help clients search family records, orphanage records and other records to help people learn about their history and, importantly, reunite with their families. But because of this cut the service can no longer employ this historian. The cut is so large that they have also had to cut other support services such as counselling and other social activities. This is the only service in South Australia and there is a huge void left as a result of this cut.

Last week I met with Josephine Little Hawk, who is a forgotten Australian and a client of Elm Place. Josephine told me that one thing she really wants to do is search the records from the orphanage where she grew up and reconnect with her family. But without the help of the experienced historian she is worried she will never be able to learn about her past. She is also worried that, because of this cut, many like her will not be able to access the counselling and other support services they desperately need.

The apology in 2009 was incredibly important to our nation because it acknowledged the treatment and the trauma experienced by these children and acknowledged that it was unacceptable. As a nation, we said what happened to them was both wrong and real. They experienced the loss of their families and their identities, which is why it is so important for us to provide as much support as possible to help them understand their histories, reconnect with their families and heal the wounds of the past. But, instead of providing more support, the Abbott government is taking that support away. I call on the Abbott government to support our forgotten Australians and former child migrants and reinstate this funding immediately.