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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-03-10 Daily Xml
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GRANDPARENTS FOR GRANDCHILDREN

The Hon. J.A. DARLEY (14:40): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the minister representing the Premier a question about funding for Grandparents for Grandchildren SA Incorporated.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.A. DARLEY: Grandparents for Grandchildren is a not-for-profit organisation run by a dedicated team of volunteers who provide vital assistance to grandparents concerned about the welfare of their grandchildren. Among other things, the services GFG offer include assisting grandparents who are the primary carers of their grandchildren, liaising with federal, state and local governments and other organisations in relation to the welfare of children who are at risk of, or subject to, abuse within the family, and liaising and negotiating with government departments, hospitals, courts, police and many other service providers on behalf of grandparents.

In addition to offering guidance and support to grandparents, GFG also plays a pivotal role in raising public awareness about the struggles that grandparents caring for grandchildren face on a day-to-day basis. GFG has also established a strong relationship with Families SA and acts as a referral point for that agency. Indeed, were it not for the existence of GFG, Families SA would incur the additional workload of that organisation at a much higher cost, as has been acknowledged by the CEO of Families SA on more than one occasion.

In terms of funding, GFG receives some financial assistance from the state government, but this is limited to one-off grants from Community Benefit SA and assistance with rental payments. Coincidentally, I am aware of a number of instances where government agencies are wasting money on frivolous and unwanted expenditure when this money could have been redirected to a more worthy cause such as GFG. Even in the Department of the Premier and Cabinet, I am aware of a redundant executive-level position where the base salary alone equates to 12 times the amount of money that GFG is seeking in funding.

My question to the Premier is: given the important community service that GFG provides and given that GFG is the main, if not the only, referral for Families SA in relation to cases involving grandparents, why is the government not providing adequate ongoing funding for that organisation?

The Hon. B.V. FINNIGAN (Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for State/Local Government Relations, Minister for Gambling) (14:42): As the honourable member's question seems to relate principally to funding overseen by Families SA, I will refer that question to the Minister for Families and Communities in another place and bring back a response.

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