The Australian Council of Social Services welcomes Wednesday’s Federal Government announcements to work with community sector organisations on further implementing its election commitments to deliver fairer funding and genuine partnership with the sector.
Years of chronic underfunding, combined with dramatic increases in need, poverty and disadvantage, are pushing community services beyond breaking point. Mandating that Government agencies pass on indexation to grant recipients is a welcome step forwards ensuring more organisations retain current levels of funding in real terms, which is vital for existing services and workers.
Bringing longer term contracts into grant agreement templates and driving change across the government via a Community Sector Partnership Framework are also important next steps to implement the election commitments. ACOSS looks forward to working in partnership with the Government on much needed reforms to sector grants to ensure that community services are provided the certainty and flexibility they need to serve our communities.
ACOSS also looks forward to engaging in the consultation on the Secure Australian Jobs Code to ensure that community sector grants are designed to properly invest in the sector workforce – most of whom are women – who continue to do an incredible job on the frontline of social, health, economic and environmental crises in the toughest of circumstances.
As we approach the federal budget, ACOSS continues to call for an immediate boost to baseline funding for community sector services, with an increased revenue base that supports funding for the full cost of essential service delivery to meet community need alongside a substantial increase to income support payments to ensure people can afford life’s basics.
