Lakeland kids lose play cash
Clinic trial ‘needed more time’
THE closure of a playgroup has highlighted a disparity in funding between the Laura and Lakeland districts.
Lakeland Progress Association secretary Stefanie O’Kane was disappointed the region’s weekly playgroup was shut down this week.
The playgroup was closed because organisers could not access specially classed indigenous funding.
“Lakeland is only 60km from Laura and, although you have to drive through Lakeland to get to Laura, unfortunately we miss out on many services that Laura gets due to us not being an indigenous community.
“We are, however, a major contributor to the entire shire, which just doesn’t add up,” she said.
“There’s a lot of indigenous funds available from the government for obvious reasons.
“We don’t mind fundraising for ourselves. It’s more so when funding gets taken away that gets frustrating.”
Cooktown District ComCONSTRUCTION munity Centre manager Kaz Price said she was disappointed by the decision to close the playgroup at Lakeland.
“It was funded under the Indigenous Advancement Strategy and because none of the clients were indigenous we were directed to close it,” she said.
“We are really looking for ways and to get it up and going again but I can’t make any promises.”
A spokesman from the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, which manages the IAS, said a representative met CDCC staff in September to look at other options for funding.
“Based on reporting, provided by the operator of the Lakeland playgroup, it was identified that no indigenous children were accessing this service,” he said.
“PM & C staff met the Cooktown District Community Centre at Cooktown at which strategies were discussed to ensure the available playgroup money could best target indigenous children, and ways to access other funding.”