Senator HUTCHINS (3:41 PM) —I move:

   That the Senate notes that:

   (a)   the St Vincent de Paul Society’s annual Winter Appeal ends on 31 August 2007;

   (b)   more than half of the people assisted by the St Vincent de Paul Society in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory are families;

   (c)   in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory in 2006:

   (i)   more than 750,000 people were assisted by the St Vincent de Paul Society,

   (ii)   St Vincent de Paul Society volunteers visited more than 500 000 people in their homes to deliver food parcels, household supplies or vouchers for bills, and

   (iii)   Vinnies Centres distributed more than $3 million worth of clothing, bedding, furniture and other donated items to more than 75 000 people;

   (d)   there is a growing gap between rich and poor in Australia, evidenced by data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showing that:

   (i)   the wealthiest 20 per cent of households in 2005-06 accounted for 61 per cent of total household net worth, with average net worth of $1.7 million per household, and

   (ii)   the poorest 20 per cent of households accounted for 1 per cent of total household net worth and had an average net worth of $27,000per household; and

   (e)   the Prime Minister (Mr Howard) still claims that ‘families have never been better off’ under the Coalition Government.

Question put.