LISMORE MP Janelle Saffin is backing in NSW
Labor’s plan to deliver more job security and funding certainty for our
community services sector, by introducing longer term five-year funding
arrangements for key community service providers.
“This is something I know is sorely needed to support our communities through
our hard-working community service workers,” Ms Saffin says.
“I have many services come to me saying that they have funding up until a certain date, the date being really close and no information on whether services that are essential will be continued.
“I see so many good staff leave because of it
and the current situation of short-term funding and short-term employment
contracts works against good planning.”
NSW Labor’s plan will
benefit more than 7,800 non-government organisations that operate in the
sector; the more than 240,000 workers they employ; and the over one million
people they support.
These essential frontline workers – predominantly women – have been vital in
supporting some of the most vulnerable people in our community, including
throughout the pandemic, fires, droughts and floods, as well as homelessness,
domestic and family violence, and child protection.
Longer term funding will foster greater job security for many thousands of
women workers as well as provide organisations the freedom to plan into the
future.
It will also allow these organisations to spend more time on service delivery,
rather than on administrative tasks.
NSW Labor will also establish a taskforce to engage with the sector on the
development of a new funding framework and jobs compact.
The taskforce will work to standardise and streamline reporting and contract
management.
It will also establish a whole-of-government prequalification process so that
organisations don’t need to repeat onerous accreditation processes.
And it will review funding models to stop the race to the bottom on wages,
provide secure jobs and ensure adherence to award
conditions.
