Upwards of two thousand people turned out for the second Day of Action against the Bracks Government’s cuts to community services. Protesters, including a large number of people in wheelchairs, assembled first at Treasury Place before marching up to Parliament House.

From the VCOSS flyer:

People are demonstrating today in anger and frustration because the Bracks’ Government is turning its back on the most vulnerable people in society.
The Government is cutting $30m from service budgets over the next 3 years, which will create a situation in services where staff levels will be reduced to a skeleton level, and some services will be forced to close.
When the services are unable to provide accommodation for homeless people, give care and support to the elderly, provide activities for people with a disability, provide pre-schools and child care facilities or provide services for the old and infirm, the community will have to pick up the pieces.
The cuts threatened by the Bracks’ Government will place services for children and families in crisis. Families will have to wait longer to have their child placed in childcare; the waiting lists for nursing homes will be extended.
The cuts proposed by the government will adversely affect 1 in 4 individuals in Victoria. We are extremely disappointed that Premier Bracks and Treasurer Brumby have not taken action to ensure the 1 in 4 Victorians who use community services are not hurt by these cuts.

At Treasury Place

Outside Parliament House