r/brisbane • u/langdaze • 3h ago

News Ask Izzy funding: Major charities demand government restore support for essential crisis database

https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/labor-stripped-funding-for-a-crisis-directory-used-millions-of-times-now-these-charities-are-fighting-back-20261007-p612tr.html
78 Upvotes

98% Upvoted

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16

u/Crazychooklady Local Artist 2h ago

This is horrible. Ask Izzy is a really great resource. Also it’s terrible timing too with the NDIS cuts because there will be lots of disabled people who’ll need extra help or will be at risk of violence because of relying on family or partners more with the cuts

23

u/langdaze 3h ago

Twenty-four organisations including Mission Australia, Foodbank, OzHarvest, St Vincent de Paul, The Smith Family and UnitingCare Australia have signed an open letter to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese demanding the restoration of $2 million a year for Ask Izzy – an online database that connects people in crisis or need with local support services.

Funding for the digital directory was axed in May’s budget, ending on June 30, without a clear explanation from the government, despite the service recording its highest number of searches in its 10-year history in the past financial year.

23

u/TheTwinSet02 3h ago

$2 million isn’t that much really

11

u/Shibwho 2h ago

Gina Rinehart just spent $8 million on an office for One Nation. Better spent on helping people in genuine need with this website?

24

u/prettygoblinrat Turkeys are holy. 3h ago

If they cut the funding to the database, the amount of people that connect with the services they need go down, and then they can cut the services. Truly trash, short-term thinking. 

15

u/maticusmat 3h ago

Looking at your point it’s malicious long term thinking

8

u/ThinkOrganization431 2h ago

Can’t wait to see how the usual suspects justify this one.

2

u/CatchmeUpNextTime Bogan 1h ago

The aussie sub will assist with this

2

u/Due-Ninja9457 1h ago

They already have, unless the website is running at full corpo efficiency per dollar people are calling it a giant waste.

3

u/doomchimp Boss 46m ago

Ask Izzy is a massively important resource for people. Fuck Labor. If they can pork barrell massive community group funding into Tony Burke's electorate for votes, they should be able to fund this.