Child Protection Minister Sue Ellery has rejected claims by Liberal candidate for Blackwood-Stirling Wade De Campo that the State Government has ignored pleas by a local crisis accommodation centre for extra funding.
In an article in the Manjimup-Bridgetown Times on July 30, Mr De Campo, who is also the shire president, falsely stated he had written to the Minister requesting full funding for the Warren Blackwood Emergency Accommodation Centre.
He also said the Government had ‘failed to heed continual pleas by the centre for funding boosts’.
“These claims are totally wrong; I have not received a request for funding from Mr De Campo or the centre and neither has the Department for Child Protection,” Ms Ellery said.
“The last time the Manjimup Shire sought extra funding for the centre was back in 2005 and 2006, when a request was made to the previous Community Development Minister David Templeman.
“As a result, the centre received several one-off grants.
“The Government has been very responsive to the needs of this centre, providing recurrent funding since 2005 and a number of top-up grants.
“If Mr De Campo believes demand for the centre is increasing, I encourage him to submit a formal funding request, providing evidence of this demand, rather than using the local media as a tool to falsely attack the Government.
“His request would be given consideration on its merits. In the interim, the department will continue to work with the centre to provide support.”
Ms Ellery said the Warren Blackwood Emergency Accommodation Centre’s funding for 2008-09 had been boosted to more than $73,000.
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