Charities and opposition MPs push to restore $2 million cut to Ask Izzy service

Government's decision to cut $2 million a year of funding for Ask Izzy, a free online directory that links people in crisis with food, housing and other help, has sparked a nationwide revolt. Almost 200 charities and community groups, including Mission Australia, Foodbank and UnitingCare Australia, have joined calls for the funding to be restored. The cut took effect on June 30, ending a support agreement that the service ran with the federal government. Ask Izzy logged a record 9.1 million searches last financial year, a rise of 7 per cent, with food making up about a third of queries, followed by money aid, housing and mental‑health help. The not‑for‑profit Infoxchange runs the site and maintains more than 500,000 listings of charities, government programs and community groups. In the Victorian electorate of Mallee, roughly 28,000 searches were made last year, showing deep reach into regional areas. Over 2,000 Australians have written to their MPs demanding action. Opposition parties have rallied behind the cause: the Coalition, Greens, One Nation and several crossbench MPs have publicly backed the reversal. Liberal senator Claire Chandler’s office said the Coalition always funded Ask Izzy and urged Labor to explain the withdrawal. Independent MP Allegra Spender called the tool “fantastic” and said her office relies on it. Front‑line workers and people with lived experience plan to travel to Canberra during the next parliamentary week to press the case. Campaign organisers argue the $6 million requested over three years is modest compared with the $83.1 million annual public value the service delivers. Women account for 63 per cent of users, and one in five seeking housing help are fleeing family violence. Infoxchange chief executive David Spriggs said the government helped set up the service and should not abandon it as demand hits record levels. Services Australia confirmed its funding agreement ended on June 30 and pointed to other government referral services that do not need extra licences.

Context

The cut comes as many Australians face a cost‑of‑living squeeze, making free digital referral tools like Ask Izzy a critical safety net for food, shelter and crisis support.