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Last-minute funding commitment welcomed by homelessness groups Last-minute funding commitment welcomed by homelessness groups
(35 minutes later)
Homelessness service providers have welcomed the announcement by the social services minister, Scott Morrison, that a key funding arrangement between the states and commonwealth will continue for a further two years.Homelessness service providers have welcomed the announcement by the social services minister, Scott Morrison, that a key funding arrangement between the states and commonwealth will continue for a further two years.
The national partnership agreement on homelessness, which obliges state and territory governments to match funding from the commonwealth dollar for dollar and is responsible for about a third of all funding for homelessness services, was due to expire on June 30.The national partnership agreement on homelessness, which obliges state and territory governments to match funding from the commonwealth dollar for dollar and is responsible for about a third of all funding for homelessness services, was due to expire on June 30.
But on Monday, Morrison announced that the agreement would be extended until June 2017, at a cost to the federal government of $230m over two years. “We think this is a priority,” he told the ABC.But on Monday, Morrison announced that the agreement would be extended until June 2017, at a cost to the federal government of $230m over two years. “We think this is a priority,” he told the ABC.
However Morrison said he had been “underwhelmed” with the agreement’s ability to reduce homelessness, which he said was “a principal responsibility of the states”.However Morrison said he had been “underwhelmed” with the agreement’s ability to reduce homelessness, which he said was “a principal responsibility of the states”.
“This program in the past has been a bit woolly, we want to give it more clarity and focus,” he said.“This program in the past has been a bit woolly, we want to give it more clarity and focus,” he said.
Morrison signalled that future funding arrangements could have benchmarks for success built in.Morrison signalled that future funding arrangements could have benchmarks for success built in.
“What we have decided to do is have a greater level of focus on the program. This will be a new agreement, I’ve written to to my counterparts in the states,” Morrison said. “I am looking forward to having good outcomes with it.”“What we have decided to do is have a greater level of focus on the program. This will be a new agreement, I’ve written to to my counterparts in the states,” Morrison said. “I am looking forward to having good outcomes with it.”
Victoria has already allocated money for the partnership in its state budget, and the New South Wales premier, Mike Baird, who is running the state in caretaker mode while the election campaign in on, has reiterated his in-principle support for the program.Victoria has already allocated money for the partnership in its state budget, and the New South Wales premier, Mike Baird, who is running the state in caretaker mode while the election campaign in on, has reiterated his in-principle support for the program.
The Australian Capital Territory has also indicated it will honour the funding arrangement.
Frontline service providers welcomed the announcement. “We’ve been calling on them [the government] to prove certainty, so there will be some sense of relief from the sector,” the head of St Vincent de Paul, John Falzon, said.Frontline service providers welcomed the announcement. “We’ve been calling on them [the government] to prove certainty, so there will be some sense of relief from the sector,” the head of St Vincent de Paul, John Falzon, said.
Several organisations are calling for funding for homelessness to fall in line with other sectors, which receive four-year funding certainty in the forward estimates in the budget papers.Several organisations are calling for funding for homelessness to fall in line with other sectors, which receive four-year funding certainty in the forward estimates in the budget papers.
“Ideally, that’s what we would have liked, [but] we are very pleased with the two year certainty,” the chief executive of Homelessness Australia, Glenda Stevens, said.“Ideally, that’s what we would have liked, [but] we are very pleased with the two year certainty,” the chief executive of Homelessness Australia, Glenda Stevens, said.
The funding announcement has came just in time, with organisations drawing up redundancy notices for staff ahead of the June 30 deadline.The funding announcement has came just in time, with organisations drawing up redundancy notices for staff ahead of the June 30 deadline.
Crisis talks due for Monday were called off as a result of the funding announcement. Thirty organisations were due to hold discussions on how to proceed without the commonwealth funding.Crisis talks due for Monday were called off as a result of the funding announcement. Thirty organisations were due to hold discussions on how to proceed without the commonwealth funding.
“We were beside ourselves with concern,” the head of the Council to Homeless People, Jenny Smith, said. “We were staring down the barrel of losing $115m nationally.”“We were beside ourselves with concern,” the head of the Council to Homeless People, Jenny Smith, said. “We were staring down the barrel of losing $115m nationally.”
Smith said 3,000 jobs were at risk before the funding announcement was made.Smith said 3,000 jobs were at risk before the funding announcement was made.
“It’s disappointing that we’ll be back here in two years’ time, fighting for what we’ve already got,” she said.“It’s disappointing that we’ll be back here in two years’ time, fighting for what we’ve already got,” she said.
Morrison said the partnership agreement was important in supporting women and children leaving domestic violence situations, and helping young people who are at risk of homelessness.Morrison said the partnership agreement was important in supporting women and children leaving domestic violence situations, and helping young people who are at risk of homelessness.
The chief executive of Domestic Violence New South Wales, Moo Baulch, welcomed the focus on domestic violence resources, warning that some front line service providers were “at breaking point” before the funding announcement was made.The chief executive of Domestic Violence New South Wales, Moo Baulch, welcomed the focus on domestic violence resources, warning that some front line service providers were “at breaking point” before the funding announcement was made.
“There’s an increasing need in domestic violence,” Baulch said. “Anecdotally, we’re seeing an increase in the number of people seeking support.”“There’s an increasing need in domestic violence,” Baulch said. “Anecdotally, we’re seeing an increase in the number of people seeking support.”
The national director of the Salvation Army, Calvin Alley, said the focus on domestic violence and youth homelessness were “admirable priorities”, but does not want other services, particularly for rough-sleepers, neglected.The national director of the Salvation Army, Calvin Alley, said the focus on domestic violence and youth homelessness were “admirable priorities”, but does not want other services, particularly for rough-sleepers, neglected.
Alley said that service providers are still waiting to see the detail of the funding announcement, including whether there would be indexation of funding over the next two years.Alley said that service providers are still waiting to see the detail of the funding announcement, including whether there would be indexation of funding over the next two years.
The social services minister said Labor had failed in homelessness funding.The social services minister said Labor had failed in homelessness funding.
“They’d scrapped it. There was no money in the budget … The money doesn’t just fall out of a tree or come out of an ATM,” Morrison said. He would not be drawn on where the $230m needed to extend the partnership agreement would come from, saying it would be “advised through the budget”.“They’d scrapped it. There was no money in the budget … The money doesn’t just fall out of a tree or come out of an ATM,” Morrison said. He would not be drawn on where the $230m needed to extend the partnership agreement would come from, saying it would be “advised through the budget”.
“Every new area of expenditure has to have offsets,” Morrison said.“Every new area of expenditure has to have offsets,” Morrison said.