Media Release by The Hon Larry Anthony MP

25 New Children’s Contact Services

Up to 10,000 more Australian families will benefit from the establishment of 25 new children’s contact services.

These services provide a safe, nurturing environment for children to maintain contact with their non-residential parent. They offer a neutral location for changeovers between residential and non-residential parents and for supervised contact visits.

Minister for Community Services Larry Anthony and Attorney-General Daryl Williams said today the services would be located in area of high need, where they would make the most difference to Australian families. There will be a special emphasis on rural, remote and urban fringe areas.

Twenty five locations, based on statistical sub-divisions, have been identified nationally. They are:

New South Wales

  • Wollongong/Illawarra
  • Gosford-Wyong/Newcastle
  • Clarence (Coffs Harbour)
  • Central Macquarie
  • Central Murrumbidgee
  • Albury/Wodonga
  • Richmond-Tweed
  • Bathurst-Orange

Victoria

  • Frankston City/Greater Dandenong City
  • Northern Middle Melbourne/Northern Outer Melbourne/Eastern Outer Melbourne
  • La Trobe Valley/Wellington Shire
  • Greater Bendigo City Part A
  • Ballarat City
  • Greater Geelong City Part A

Queensland

  • Gold Coast City Part B
  • Sunshine Coast/Caboolture Shire Part A
  • Toowoomba City
  • Townsville City Part A/Cairns City Part A
  • Mackay City Part A

Western Australia

  • South West Metropolitan/South East Metropolitan Perth/Mandurah
  • Bunbury

South Australia

  • Southern/Onkaparinga
  • Lower South East (Mt Gambier)

Tasmania

  • Greater Launceston

Northern Territory

  • Central NT (Alice Springs)

Further information on the areas covered by these statistical sub-divisions can also be obtained on the electoral commission website at www.aec.gov.au

The new services will fulfil the Government’s Budget commitment to provide $15.4 million over four years to assist parents in managing difficult contact arrangements with their children.

The Government will call for applications from community-based organisations on 29 January 2000 to run the new services. Further information and application forms will be available on the FaCS website.