Newcastle MP slams new disability arrangements for NSW

BY LAUREN FREEMANTLE

Federal Member for Newcastle, Sharon Claydon is accusing the state government of shirking its responsibility to provide disability advocacy funding following the rollout of the NDIS.

It comes after Novocastrians gathered on Hunter Street on Friday to rally against the $13 million-dollar funding cut, set to hit in July.

Community Disability Alliance Hunter is one of around 50 services which will suffer under the new arrangements.

Sharon Claydon said the NSW government has used the NDIS as a replacement for advocacy funding, but the two aren't comparable.

"They've turned to the Commonwealth and said, 'when it comes to disability, we are cost-shifting all services to the federal government,' but the problem with that is," she explained, "they leave everyone who's outside the parameters of the NDIS scheme without anything.

"It's more than a problem, it is a fundamental betrayal," Ms Claydon said.

She said regional areas like the Hunter will be affected the most, as there are fewer services available in the area.

Friday's rally on Hunter Street. Image: The Herald. 

Newcastle University Hurt By Massive Government Cuts

BY: ALEX MURRAY

As semester commences for another year at the University of Newcastle, Labor says the Turnbull government's proposed $69 million cuts are threatening to tear a massive hole in their budget.

The federal opposition the overall funding loss across NSW amounts to $736 million.

The department of education data show the cuts will make it even harder for students to function in their institution and afford an education.

Students paying their HECS/HELP debt will also have a double whammy, with the salary threshold at which they have to start repaying their debt lowered by $10,000, making the prospect of affording their degree that much harder.

At a time where education-based skills and new age employment opportunities are on the rise, university education for young Australians is now more important than ever.

Federal Member for Newcastle, Sharon Claydon says, "Although great community campaigns have stopped these cuts in the Senate in the past, regrettably the government has decided to ignore these calls and sneak in $2.2 billion dollars worth of cuts."

"The University of Newcastle's losses are nothing to be sneezed at, while they (the government) are cutting higher education to profit millionaires and multi-national companies."

"There is no way that you can chop out $69 million from the University of Newcastle without it being felt on the ground and hurting students with a number of detrimental effects."

"This university over decades has built a range of good support programs for people in lower socio-economic backgrounds to come into tertiary education and finish the degree with higher prospects."

"All students should be getting onto their local members of parliament and making their voice very loud and clear that these cuts hurt students and families,." Sharon Claydon said.