Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to the government's decision to cut $234,000 from the Mirabel Foundation, which provides services that help children abandoned by their parents due to drug addiction. CEO Jane Rowe says: 'These children have already been abandoned or orphaned by the parents. They won't be abandoned by Mirabel, but they can't be abandoned by their government.' Will the Prime Minister do the right thing and commit to funding the Mirabel Foundation?

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I call the Minister for Social Services.

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Madam Speaker, and I thank the Prime Minister for the opportunity to respond. The DHS grants program has been extended for existing front-line service providers that were subject to negative announcements at the end of last year for those who are continuing to provide service to the end of June this year. We are working through the process of ensuring there are no service gaps in front-line areas that are critical to ensuring that these communities get the services they need.

If there are members who have specific issues that they would like to raise with me—as many on this side of the House and also members opposite have done—I am very happy to receive their letters, or other ways they wish to raise these matters with me, including on this matter as well. This is the largest re-tendering of Department of Human Services grants that we have seen in 20 or 30 years. We want to make sure that, as we work through the process of transitioning from the old system to the new system, we keep necessary front-line services in place. If those opposite wish to raise specific cases with me, I would be very pleased to receive their representations.