Full Breakdown
Funding Cut Sparks Nationwide Charity Revolt Over Ask Izzy
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
On June 30, the Albanese government ended a $2 million-a-year funding agreement for Ask Izzy, a free online directory that links people in crisis with food, housing, mental-health and financial-assistance services. The decision was announced without a public explanation from any federal minister. Within weeks, almost 200 charities and community organisations—including Mission Australia, Foodbank, OzHarvest, St Vincent de Paul, The Smith Family and UnitingCare Australia—joined a campaign demanding that the funding be restored. More than 2,000 Australians have also contacted their representatives to press the issue.
Background on the Service
Operated by the not-for-profit Infoxchange, Ask Izzy maintains over 500,000 listings of charities, government programs and community groups, reaching deep into regional areas such as the Victorian electorate of Mallee (?28,000 searches last year). In the most recent financial year the platform recorded 9.1 million searches, a 7 percent increase, with food-related queries accounting for roughly one-third of activity. Women represent 63 percent of users, and one in five housing searches is linked to escaping family violence.
Stakeholder Responses
Independent MP Allegra Spender (Wentworth) said her office regularly uses Ask Izzy to locate emergency assistance for constituents. Campaign organisers estimate the service delivers $83.1 million in annual public value and have asked for $6 million over three years—a modest sum compared with its impact. One Nation and other cross-bench independents have signalled support, though formal commitments remain pending. Services Australia confirmed the funding agreement ended on June 30 and pointed to alternative government referral services that do not require additional licensing or subscription costs.
Potential Impact and Next Steps
If funding is not reinstated, charities warn that vulnerable Australians could lose a critical lifeline amid a cost-of-living crisis. A delegation of frontline workers and people with lived experience plans to travel to Canberra during the next parliamentary sitting week to press the case directly with politicians. The dispute has already become a cross-party political headache for Labor, with the outcome likely to influence future funding decisions for digital crisis-support tools.