Stuart has urged the Rudd Labor Government to continue to fund the Stronger
Families and Communities Strategy post June 2009, when the funding ceases after
five remarkable and successful years.
The negative impact of the program’s
cessation on Fadden should not be
underestimated. This strategy has been highly successful, and Stuart has called on the Rudd
government to announce a renewal of the program no later than Christmas this
year, just as the previous Howard government had promised to do.
Stuart met in August with Margaret Spriggs, based in the Oxenford and Coomera
Community Youth Centre. Margaret is the coordinator of the Northern Gold Coast Communities for Children
Initiative, or C4C, a program currently funded by the Stronger Families and
Communities Strategy. C4C focuses on developing and delivering education,
support, a strong family unit and, most importantly, healthy fun for parents and
their children. C4C offers initiatives in a safe environment for over 1,500
northern Gold Coast families every week. Projects cater for everyone in the
community, from infants to older members.
The program includes five early-year
hubs, which are attended by over 700 families every week; mobile community
centres that work to deliver activities in areas with no community centres;
active and healthy childcare activities for 500 parents and children; a read and
grow program; and Ready Set Learn.
C4C programs and many like them around the country help to hold our social
and community fabric together, and it is outrageous to think that the Northern
Gold Coast Communities for Children Initiative may be destroyed in June next
year because of the Labor Government’s inability to continue to fund it. The
current funding allows the Northern Gold Coast C4C to develop programs
specifically tailored to develop and assist families and youth who have no
community stimulation. The former Howard government promised to renew the
program for another four years. To date, there has been no indication of that
from the Government and there is nothing in the forward estimates.
Statistically, the Gold Coast has some of the highest negative
national social indicators for child abuse and neglect, domestic violence and
drug and alcohol abuse and has an acute abundance of families and individuals
who suffer from extreme hardship and are socially disconnected from any form of
family and friends.
C4C has undoubtedly improved the social network and
infrastructure of the northern Gold Coast. The program, its community
development workers and the families whose lives it has enriched need assurance
that this government cares about the social fabric that links the community and
that this government sees the invaluable benefits to the community and will
continue to fund the program. Margaret Spriggs and her team
of development workers, who go into the community every day. The over 1,500 families you touch every week thank you as do we all for your hard work and the work of your team.
