Church welfare agencies says the Budget treats the symptoms of society's problems, but not the causes.
The Council of Christian Social Services is pleased about new funding of $40 million for increased dementia care and $25 million to continue the Community Response Fund, which helps agencies meet urgent social needs.
But it says the Budget really only gave money to deal with the effects of a growing gap between rich and poor that it says has been rapidly increasing for the last 20 years.
Executive officer Trevor McGlinchy says the Budget continues the Government's theme of making the wealthier better off and leaving the worst-off where they are.
