mmg.com.au

A community engagement officer from the Department of Human Services will visit Rochester Community House today from 11.30am to 12.30pm.

Community house co-ordinator Amanda Logie said the service would help Centrelink users and others who may be finding it difficult to pay bills.

Ms Logie said the service was also aimed at homeless people or those at risk of becoming homeless.

‘‘You could own your own house but find it tough to pay bills,’’ she said.

The service will run for a trial period of five weeks, with the usual time from 10.30am to 12.30pm on Wednesdays.

Ms Logie said after the January 2011 flood there was a call for a Centrelink agency in Rochester and she was trying to attract the service to Rochester.

She said if there was enough interest in the service she could prove there was demand for it.

‘‘It could be a step in the right direction for a Centrelink access point,’’ she said.

She said she would like to see a Centrelink service in Rochester as people had to to travel to Echuca or Kyabram to use the service.

‘‘There is a need for the service in town,’’ she said.

‘‘What about people who don’t have a vehicle or money to get there (to Echuca)?

‘‘There is no public transport to Kyabram (from Rochester) and we have limited public transport to Echuca.’’

She said a good start to a Centrelink service in Rochester would be to have a phone set up by Centrelink at Rochester Community House so users could call the service directly.