We Remember Other Government Pay Backs

Wayne Berry - Member for Ginninderra

Media Statement - 18 February 2000

"Gary Humphries' claim that allegations over the ACT Government withdrawal of funds from the Women's Legal Centre are 'the result of the fevered imagination' is an insult to the intelligence of even the most casual observer of the Carnell Government's behaviour of community grants," Labor MLA Wayne Berry said today.

On ABC radio this morning Mr Humphries said in response to questions on the Morning Program "this is the result of the fevered imagination of some members in the Assembly and this is all that it amounts to."

"The Attorney General's was making a feeble attempt to deny that the cut back to the Women's Legal Centre is a contradiction of his Government's record on funding community organisations who criticise the Government.

"Well, Mr Humphries we all remember the Carnell Government's treatment of the ACT Council of Social Services, the Civic Youth Centre and the Woden Youth Centre (The Bus Stop) to name but a few:

• 1. The Carnell Government's first attack on a community group was our ACT Council of Social Services. The then Director - a strong critic of the Carnell Government - fell on his sword to save the funding for the service;
  
  
• 2. The same approach was taken with the Civic Youth Centre where the Director was critical of the social aims of the Carnell Government. Funding for the centre was put out to tender and won by another agency; and
  
  
• 3. Again, after strong criticisms of the Carnell Government's social agenda by the Director of the Woden Youth Centre, their programs were put out to tender but miraculously won back after the Director resigned.

"Where there is smoke there is fire and it comes as no surprise that a strong critic of the Carnell Government's attitude to a women's right to choose has had funding blocked."