Federal Member visits Mary Mac's

Member for Robertson Ms Belinda Neal has visited to Mary Mac's Place, Woy Woy.

Mary Mac's Place serves more than 350 meals a week to families in need in the Peninsula area and provides referrals for guests to community services on the Central Coast.

The Woy Woy charity has experienced a considerable rise in the number of guests accessing its services, with a 58 per cent increase in the last 12 months.

The charity expects to serve 12,000 meals this year.

"My visit to Mary Mac's Place gave me a greater understanding into the needs of Peninsula families," Ms Neal said.

"The problems of rapidly rising grocery and petrol prices and homelessness are increasing pressure on the household budgets of Australian families at the moment," Ms Neal said.

"A report into the growing problem of homelessness is currently being prepared by the Government.'

Ms Neal said charities such as Mary Mac's provide struggling families on the Peninsula with a nutritious meal.

"Even renters and home owners are finding it difficult to make ends meet and cook nutritious meals because the prices of fruit and vegetables remain unaffordable for some."

"The Federal Government has asked the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to inquire into rises in grocery prices, which are affecting families as well as the charities providing relief to those families," Ms Neal said.

Clare Graham, 27 March 2008 Press release, 18 March 2008 Belinda Neal, Member for Robertson