Rocky service funding axed
IN ANOTHER blow to Rockhampton's Aboriginal community, the Queensland Indigenous Alcohol Diversion Program has had funding for its supported-accommodation program axed.
The cuts come only weeks after Queensland Indigenous Family Violence Legal Service counsellor Annette Dudley's job was terminated without explanation.
The supported-accommodation program provided houses for people in transition from detox programs to permanent housing and now had three months to wrap up the service.
A spokesman for the Minister for Disability Services, Tracy Davis, said the homelessness service was underutilised, with only 21 people accessing the service in 2010-11 in Rockhampton, Cairns and Townsville combined and only nine people in 2011-12.
"The Newman Government remains committed to supporting people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness and has provided three months of funding to QIADP to allow clients to transition to other supported-accommodation services in the region," the spokesman said.
But Capricorn regional manager for Anglicare Carol Godwin said supported-accommodation in the region was bursting at the seams with an increasing number of inquiries. "Accommodation is full, we can't meet the demand," she said yesterday.
The spokesman for Ms Davis said the few existing clients of QIADP would be assisted in finding an alternative local service providing homelessness support.
Opposition Communities spokeswoman Desley Scott said the move was short-sighted with drastic ramifications for the broader community.
"Minister Davis is wiping her hands of responsibility and kicking vulnerable people, who are trying to get their lives on track, onto the streets," she said.
