Flood victims in Rochester will lose State Government funding for the financial counselling services delivered by Anglicare to support flood victims in November, despite there still being a huge demand from many Rochester residents for the service.
A funding request was made by Liberal Member for Northern Victoria Wendy Lovell to the State Parliament on 15 August, seeking an extension of emergency funding of $119,000 for the organisation from Minister for Mental Health Gabrielle Williams, in addition to their standard annual funding.
On the 5th of September, Lovell received a written response from Williams indicating the Andrews Government was ceasing this additional funding to Lifeline Loddon Mallee, meaning the service will have to cease the vital grief and loss counselling service and reduce volunteer recruitment from the required 35 to just 15.
Lovell has slammed the Victorian Government’s lack of support for programs run by Lifeline Loddon Mallee and Anglicare to support flood victims in Rochester, telling Robbo on the Wake Up Call, that the State government needs to get its priorities straight.
This decision contradicts Victorian Premier Dan Andrews’s previous statement about how close he is with the “Rochy” community and that he would do all he could to help.
