Quote:

NGOs blast government gag rule A national public health body has slammed the Newman government's "gag order" on community organisations, saying it will strip service providers of one of their vital roles. Queensland Health grant contracts now included clauses preventing non-government organisations advocating for state and federal legislative change, a spokesman for Minister Lawrence Springborg confirmed last night. “We're making it clear that we want to fund outcomes but not advocacy," the spokesman said. Public Health Association of Australia acting chief executive Melanie Walker said she was not aware of any federal government-funded community organisation that had been subjected to similar conditions and was concerned for Queensland NGOs. "It's not that non-government organisations, particularly those in service provision, are particularly radical or political organisations, it's just that those working on the front line often do have insights about what changes can be made in government policy or legislation to assist the recipients of their services," she said. "This inhibits not just government developing a better understanding of some of the concerns of service providers, but also those community service provision organisations being able to make the broader community aware of some of the problems they face in delivering those services." Queensland Health has historically provided funding to a raft of organisations including health service providers, charities and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health groups. It is unclear at this stage which of these groups may have had the new conditions imposed, but it is understood as many as 10 organisations so far may have been asked to sign contracts with the "gag" clauses. Premier Campbell Newman's department said this morning the clauses had been introduced only in Queensland Health grants contracts. Queensland Council of Social Service president Karyn Walsh said the non-government sector would be largely disappointed with the conditions. "The distinction between lobbying for legislation and policy advocacy is sometimes a fine line, but we believe it's important in a democracy that NGOs are allowed to advocate," she said. "It's important that NGOs maintain the core function of their service agreement ... but that doesn't mean that people can't organise themselves voluntarily, and often on top of the work that they're doing, to advocate for what we need, what we believe the population needs, and what the sector needs." Read more: http://www.juliecollins.fahcsia.gov.au/node/226 http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/ngos-blast-government-gag-rule-20120821-24ju3.html

The Newman Government has decided to silence any criticism by placing gag orders on government contracts.....What happened to open and accountable Government.....This is just wrong!!!

>:( >:( >:(


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The Queensland Government’s move to gag the State’s community sector after subjecting it to massive funding cuts shows the shameful way Coalition governments do business, the Minister for Community Services, Julie Collins, said today. “This Queensland Government gag order has all the trademarks of your typical slash and burn Coalition Government,” Ms Collins said. “It’s business as usual for them – cut services to the most vulnerable in our community and then suppress anyone who dares try speak up for them. “It was up to this Labor Government to abolish the former Federal Coalition Government’s gag clause. “In a shameful reminder of what Liberal governments do, Campbell Newman has wasted no time in slapping the same gag clause on community groups in Queensland,” Ms Collins said. The gag order is confirmed in a quote from the Queensland Health Minister’s office in a Brisbane media report today. “A spokesman for Mr Springborg last night confirmed conditions limiting advocacy were being imposed as part of the grants process. It's now a clause that we apply,” he (the Minister’s spokesman) told brisbanetimes.com.au. “Campbell Newman’s ruthless cuts have been across the board of vital services - including in mental health, support for victims of domestic violence, family planning, rent support, women’s health services and Indigenous employment,” Ms Collins said. “While Liberal governments rip money away from the vulnerable in our community and stop community organisations from speaking out, Labor will get on with the job of giving them the support they deserve,” Ms Collins said.

http://www.juliecollins.fahcsia.gov.au/node/226

Qld will go back 30 years with Newman at the helm. We can't afford that because we were behind the eight ball from the start.

philperth2010 wrote on Sep 20^th, 2012 at 7:26am:

The Newman Government has decided to silence any criticism by placing gag orders on government contracts.....What happened to open and accountable Government.....This is just wrong!!!

I don't have a problem with that. Hop in the time machine and slip back to NSW under Bob the Builder. When the injecting room was approved and set-up a couple of charities voiced their concerns. Those charities were taken to one side and reminded that they were the recipients of state gov't grants etc. The charities backed off. Also, our senior police officers in NSW up to and including the police commissioner have to use 'approved' language when they appear on camera or when a microphone is shoved in their faces. When we had 3 days of rioting at Macquarie Fields police commissioner Moroney described the riots as social unrest. The higher echelon of the police 'service' has been politicised and nobbled.

Nothing new with Newman.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Moroney-defends-himself-and-Macquarie-Fields-response/2005/03/13/1110649053131.html