Michelle Landry (Capricornia, National Party, Assistant Minister for Northern Australia) Share this | Hansard source

I'm delighted to speak today on Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2020-2021 for the social services portfolio that will extend and deliver a range of important measures that will improve the lives of individuals and families all across Australia. In 2020, our nation has been tested like never before, and that's why the Morrison government is continuing to provide enormous levels of economic support to help Australians get through the coronavirus pandemic. They can be assured that we remain absolutely committed to delivering the essential services they depend on.

Throughout this crisis our government has acted swiftly and efficiently to address the challenges of COVID-19, and we will continue to work with individuals and households every step of the way to respond to the evolving challenges presented by this virus. This bill includes several measures that will strengthen support for Australian families. This is all on top of the existing $250 million each year that the Morrison government already invests in delivering parenting and early intervention programs across the nation. We know that helping families across Australia will go hand in hand with our economic recovery, and that's what this bill is all about. One of the measures in this piece of legislation includes more than $40 million over three years to secure frontline parenting services, which will provide targeted support for our most disadvantaged families. This will provide in-home parenting programs, including in regional and remote areas; specialist services for newly arrived migrants; mobile toy and parenting resources; therapeutic preschools; peer support; and playgroup services that last year were accessed by more than 50,000 families. The additional money will provide continued support for particular cohorts such as at-risk young parents or families with complex needs, which we hope will prevent problems such as family breakdowns, child neglect, family violence, substance abuse and mental illness and help with transitioning into school.

Tackling the horror of domestic violence remains an absolute priority of the Morrison government, which is why we are investing record amounts of funding to address it. I'm very pleased that under this appropriation bill we have secured ongoing funding for 1800RESPECT, our national helpline that does such a wonderful job supporting women impacted by domestic violence. Unfortunately, demand for 1800RESPECT has grown rapidly since it first started operating in 2010. At the time, it was estimated that the service would receive 20,000 calls each year. Right now, they are receiving around 6,000 calls every single week. 1800RESPECT remains a valued counselling service and has been a bedrock of support for women over the past decade. But we also recognise that there is a need to promote this kind of assistance across our communities through national advertising campaigns such as Help is Here. That's why we are taking action through this bill by extending the Help is Here campaign over the summer holiday period, to ensure that anyone affected by domestic violence can access the support they need when they need it.

Among the other measures to support ongoing programs in this appropriation bill there is also $44 million in extra funding over three years for the Financial Wellbeing and Capability activity. This activity offers no- and low-interest loans, microfinance support, financial advice and counselling for problem gamblers and their families. Among the many microfinance programs we are supporting is the No Interest Loan Scheme, which has helped hundreds of thousands of Australians since it was established in 1981. No-interest loans are crucially important because they provide people with access to ready cash for simple but essential things like a fridge or a bed, they help families respond to a crisis and they offer a safe and stable avenue for financial support. That is a positive alternative to high-cost payday lenders. The No Interest Loan Scheme continues to do a tremendous job. To provide an idea of its popularity: in my home state of Queensland, more than 5,200 people accessed this scheme last year. More broadly, financial wellbeing activities are giving a helping hand to more than 60,000 Australians each year to make better choices about their finances, develop financial literacy and access more affordable financial products.

I'm absolutely confident that the measures in this bill will help Australians emerge out of this pandemic stronger than ever before. They can be sure that if they're doing it tough the Morrison government has their back. On that note, I would now like to ask the minister: how will the funding for programs like 1800RESPECT help ensure that Australians continue to access this crucial support over the phone?

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