Rural Financial Counselling Service back on track after State Budget =
13-September-2011
Federal Member for Parkes Mark =
Coulton has=20
welcomed the NSW Government=E2=80=99s announcement that they will =
continue to put forth=20
their funding contribution to Rural Financial Counselling Service=20
(RFCS).
The NSW Government handed down =
their budget=20
last week and confirmed they will continue their funding contribution =
which=20
makes up about 15 per cent of the overall budget of the Federal =
Government=20
program.
=E2=80=9CI welcome the =
announcement by the=20
Minister for Primary Industries Katrina Hodgkinson that the funding =
contribution=20
will be maintained at the same level as previous =
years.=E2=80=9D
=E2=80=9CBefore the budget =
announcement I wrote to=20
Katrina to highlight the importance of the RFCS in the Parkes =
Electorate,=E2=80=9D Mr=20
Coulton said. =E2=80=9C
=E2=80=9CThe Rural Financial =
Counsellors provide a=20
free and valuable service to farmers and agriculturally based small =
businesses,=20
not only in times of crisis, but also when times are good seasonally. It =
is a=20
very important service to many people in my electorate. Therefore I =
welcome the=20
funding announcement.=E2=80=9D
=E2=80=9CThe Central West RFCS =
has been severely=20
affected by a Federal Government funding shortfall which was going to =
force the=20
closure of the Gilgandra, Parkes and Walgett offices.=E2=80=9D =
=E2=80=9CThe CW RFCS was very =
dependent on this=20
funding commitment from the State Government to allow these offices to =
remain=20
open to service their local areas. However, I do understand that the =
Federal=20
Government funding shortfall will still leave significant challenges for =
the=20
service.=E2=80=9D
=E2=80=9CI trust this commitment =
will allow the CW=20
RFCS to reassess these circumstances.=E2=80=9D