Hobart City Mission Calls for Urgent Action as Federal Funding Halved

This morning, Hobart City Mission held a media event at our Moonah office to raise awareness about the devastating Federal Government funding cuts to our emergency relief services. The event attracted strong media interest, with both WIN News and Southern Cross News in attendance.

From today, our Financial Wellbeing and Emergency Relief grant from the Department of Social Services has been cut by 50%. This decision, under the portfolio of The Hon. Tanya Plibersek MP, comes at the worst possible time. Demand for our services has doubled in the past two years. In August alone, HCM distributed 1,027 bags of food, up from 500–600 per month just two years ago.

CEO Harvey Lennon, joined by Independent Federal Member for Clark, Mr Andrew Wilkie MP, spoke about the impact these cuts will have on our community.

“Today we begin operating with only half the Federal funding we had yesterday, while the need in our community is the greatest it has ever been,” Harvey said. “Without urgent action, we will be forced to turn away 200–300 people each month, including pensioners, single parents, working people on low incomes, and those experiencing homelessness.”

Harvey outlined that while Hobart City Mission has already taken difficult measures to remain sustainable, this gap cannot be bridged without urgent government action.

The event also included a call for the wider community to help by donating non-perishable food items such as canned tuna, baked beans, pasta, pasta sauce, and soup. Donations can be dropped off at 50 Barrack Street, Hobart or 11 Main Road, Moonah.