500 Jobs to Go at Red Cross
8 September 2014 at 12:55 pm
The Red Cross has confirmed that it will shed 500 jobs following the Immigration Department’s slashing of funding for the charity's asylum seeker support service.
The charity has confirmed 500 of 800 staff working in its migrant support programs around the country will lose their jobs over the next 10 months.
In an email to all staff, Red Cross Chief Executive Robert Tickner said that the news was deeply disappointing.
“This is not the outcome that we had hoped for and we share the shock and dismay you will be feeling about this news,” Tickner said.
"The [result of the] introduction of a new service model to respond to the department's new requirements will be a loss of many skilled and caring staff.”
A spokesperson for Immigration Minister Scott Morrison told media that the Government had put in place a new team of service providers to get better value for money.
"Some [illegal maritime arrivals] IMA's have been allocated to new service providers which has meant a change to the allocation to the Red Cross," the statement said.
"Above and beyond the Government is spending $2.5 billion less because we are stopping the boats."
The news is comes as the Australian Red Cross is celebrating 100 years of supporting the community.
Currently about 12,000 people rely on the charity to access financial assistance, healthcare, protection visa, and health and character checks.
