Community Alliance Party

Monday's announcement of increased funding in carers' benefits is a clear example of Labor trying to catch up with community needs in these areas, says James Sizer, the Community Alliance Party candidate for Brindabella.

"These promises, worth $4 million, are less than 1% of the estimated $526 million per year that the ACT government saves by the unpaid care provided by carers in their own homes. Labor has clearly failed to listen and has undervalued carers in our community," says Mr Sizer.

"For example, we don't believe Labor is really taking the needs of carers seriously in only offering support to attend recreational and entertainment venues. This doesn't go anywhere near far enough towards improving the lives of carers and those for whom they care," said Mr Sizer.

Caring involves some very real needs that are more than taking someone out for a show. Carers also need to provide the transport, and the Community Alliance proposes to offer free bus travel for carers accompanying someone on a concessional fare. The Alliance also is pushing for a rebate on vehicle registration.

"Carers also have higher household costs associated with caring for someone with a disability; for example, the costs of heating and cooling are higher for someone who is home all day and requires full-time care," said Mr Sizer. "We also want to see rebates for these essential services."

Mr Sizer says that when you do the maths and divide 400,000 by 43,000, it doesn't even pay for the cost of a movie. Obviously this is a promise that Labor expects others to keep for them.

The latest annoucnment follows a series of multi-million dollar announcements, now adding up to hundreds of millions of dollars of promises for causes that could get little attention during the last seven years.

Contact: James Sizer