Gympie’s Home Assist has closed, moving operations to their Maryborough office.
This forces a significant number of people to travel to visit the aged care provider.
The move enraged local member David Gibson who wants the allocation of state and federal funding to be reassessed. Almost 30% of the provider’s 11,000 clients live in or near Gympie.
"In my view, if this organisation doesn't want to have a presence in Gympie then we should just reallocate the funding to a group that does," he said.
The provider's program co-ordinator Paul Goddard defended the move, explaining that Home Assist serviced a broad area from Bundaberg, Hervey Bay, Maryborough, Gympie, and the North and South Burnett.
Gympie was a "branch office" and a "luxury" Home Assist could no longer afford.
"It was just an office we opened for the convenience of our clients in Gympie but they did not use it,” he said, while asserting the move would not affect the services available to Gympie residents.
A new, free1800 number had been established as well.