[Greens-Media] Greens back churches call for crisis response

[Norton, Tim (Sen R. Siewert)]

Greens back churches call for crisis response
Thursday 27th November 2008

The Australian Greens have indicated their support for the call by major
church providers for the establishment of a 'crisis and recovery fund'
to help those most hurt by the global financial crisis.

"The real face of the global financial crisis isn't the banks, it is the
families on the margins; those who are losing their job; those who are
at risk of having their mortgage foreclosed for the first time in their
lives," said Senator Rachel Siewert today.

"We need an urgent preventative response to ensure that the new jobless
do not lose their homes and end up despairing and being driven into
welfare dependency." 

"An immediate recovery response would produce a win/win for the
government - as it both provides an immediate and very direct fiscal
stimulus ... and it greatly reduces the long-term costs of income
support if families become homeless," she said.

"I sincerely hope that Prime Minister Rudd will be putting this front
and centre on the agenda at this weekend's Council of Australian
Governments (COAG)," concluded Senator Siewert.

For more information or media enquiries please call Tim Norton on 0418
401 180