Canberra Funding Cut Puts Ask Izzy Crisis Access at Risk

The Albanese government’s $2 million-a-year funding cut to Ask Izzy has sparked a cross-party campaign to restore support for the online directory, which logged 9.1 million searches last financial year. Services Australia confirmed the funding agreement ended on June 30 and pointed to other government referral services. Campaigners say cuts to emergency assistance during a cost-of-living crisis could leave vulnerable Australians without help.

A service used millions of times

Ask Izzy is a free online directory that connects people in crisis with services for food, housing, emergency assistance and other needs. Not-for-profit Infoxchange operates it, listing more than 500,000 charities, government programs and community organisations.

The directory recorded 9.1 million searches last financial year, a 7 per cent increase. Food accounted for almost a third of requests, followed by financial assistance, housing and mental health support. Women made up 63 per cent of users. One in five people looking for housing assistance were escaping family violence.

Ask Izzy also serves regional communities. In the Victorian electorate of Mallee, with a population of about 88,000, people made approximately 28,000 searches for assistance last year. Coalition MPs in regional Queensland have requested detailed electorate-level figures ahead of Senate estimates hearings later this month.

Cross-party campaign seeks restoration

Almost 200 charities and community organisations have joined the campaign urging the government to reverse the cut. It began with 24 participating organisations, and more than 2,000 Australians have contacted politicians seeking action.

The campaign has won support in Canberra from the Coalition, Greens, One Nation and crossbench MPs. One Nation and crossbench independents have indicated support in discussions with campaign organisers, but they haven't made formal commitments. Independent MP Allegra Spender has also urged the government to keep supporting the digital tool.

“Ask Izzy is a fantastic service connecting the most vulnerable members of our community to support when they really need help,” Spender said. “Our office uses it when we're trying to find emergency assistance for people in our electorate.”

The office of Tasmanian Liberal senator Claire Chandler told a constituent the Coalition supported restoring the funding. “When in government, the Coalition always provided financial support to the Ask Izzy service,” the office said in correspondence. “Labor must explain why it has stripped funding away from a service helping 9.1 million Australians seeking assistance in hard times.”

Funding decision and next steps

No federal government minister has publicly explained the decision to end funding beyond referring to government processes. Services Australia cited other government referral services, which don't require additional licensing or subscription costs.

Infoxchange chief executive David Spriggs said the government helped establish Ask Izzy and should keep funding it amid record demand. “The government helped establish Ask Izzy, and its agencies, funded services and countless vulnerable Australians rely on it every day,” he said. “The government should restore the funding.”

Campaign organisers are seeking $6 million over three years and estimate the service delivers $83.1 million in annual public value. A delegation of frontline workers and people with lived experience of homelessness, family violence and financial hardship plans to travel to Canberra during the next parliamentary sitting week to make its case to politicians.