LISMORE MP Janelle Saffin has welcomed the Minns Labor Government’s announcement of a $1,780,500 boost in funding to the Lismore Women’s Health and Resource Centre over the next five years.
Ms Saffin said the doubling of recurrent funding would make the world of difference to the Northern Rivers Women and Children’s Services Incorporated (NORWACS), the charity which runs the health centre and an outreach service in the greater Lismore area.
“Increasing funding by $34.3 million over five years to 19 women’s health centres across New South Wales was long overdue because they’ve had to make do with tight budgets for decades,” Ms Saffin said.
“I am pleased that our Government is delivering on this major election commitment to recognise the essential community-based healthcare and domestic violence support these centres provide to women and children.”
NORWACS Chief Executive Officer Kelly Banister said she and her team were delighted with the first increase in funding to the sector since 1986 because delivering services had been pretty challenging to say the least.
“Conservatively, this funding means that we will be able to increase the services we offer by 50 per cent, reaching many more women, and taking the funding cycle from three to five years helps us plan for the future and gives us more stability,” Ms Banister said.
“We’ll have more hours for counselling staff, social workers, health promotion staff, and importantly, our women’s health nurse clinic will be more frequent and expand from primarily educational and referral services to screening and pathology.
“In addition, this funding will significantly increase our capacity to deliver therapeutic group workshops to the women in our community who need this support.
“Our intention is to also run a pop-up women’s health centre in places like Murwillumbah and Kyogle from time to time.”
The Lismore Women’s Health & Resource Centre is a safe place run for women by women providing confidential, friendly health and well-being assistance for women in Lismore and surrounding areas.
2023 VISIT: Lismore MP Janelle Saffin and NSW Minister for Women and Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Jodie Harrison met with NORWACS representatives last year, from left, Board Chair Jane Gold, CEO Kelly Banister, Women’s Health NSW CEO Denele Crozier AM (peak body), and Operations Manager Jacqueline Alinaitwe.
