Lawn Rebate Trim Unkindest Cut of All (Courier Mail 7/8/12)

While everyone to a point agrees with Campbell Newman’s approach to reducing the state deficit within the new government’s first year, the sledgehammer approach is believed to go too far. A staged approach would probably be more appropriate however it is obvious that we cannot live with the huge interest bills occuring in the State on a daily basis.  The item below seems to have gone over the top.

PENSIONERS’ lawns are the latest victims of Campbell Newman’s cost cutting.

Opposition Leader Annastacia Palaszczuk has revealed the Newman Government will dump the $10 rebate given to pensioners to subsidize their lawn mowing. “This is a service that was not only a big help to the elderly and the disabled but at $10 per home it was inexpensive, she said.

A letter to clients of the Home Assist Secure said the program had secured “interim funding” until the end of September. “Of the many services the program provides it has been determined that ongoing lawn mowing does not met the requirements of the program guidelines and as a consequence only three vouchers will be issued for use between July and September 2012,” the letter states.

“As from 30th September 2012 ongoing lawn mowing under the Home Assist Secure program will cease.” The letter has emerged just hours after Pubic Works Minister Bruce Flegg insisted there would no changes to the Home Assist program. “Like all government programs, we want to ensure that they are operating as efficiently as possible,” he said. “However this is a vital service and it will continue to be fully funded.”

Dr Flegg’s office this afternoon insisted that it wasn’t behind the cuts to lawn mowing services. “Home Assist Secure provides funding to subsidise maintenance, repairs and modifications that relate to health, safety and security,’’ a spokesman for Dr Flegg said. “Service providers would reasonably be expected to use the funds for those purposes.

“Current program guidelines, including those related to lawnmowing, remain unchanged since they were put in place by the former government. ‘’