A state government rescue package for women’s refuges at risk of closure has been dismissed as unworkable by advocates who say it will do nothing to prevent shelters from shutting their doors.
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Specialist homelessness services which lost funding under the state government’s Going Home Staying Home reform were given the option of applying for financial assistance under the new Service Support Fund.
But services say they have been ordered to hand over their premises and clients to new providers by October 31 so there is no point in applying for additional funding.
Spokeswoman for SOS Women’s Services Kate Timmins said the support fund provided no guarantees for the organisations which failed to win funding under a tender process which favoured large providers at the expense of smaller specialist services.
Women's advocates have raised concerns about what services the new providers will offer and whether they will include the expertise in domestic violence, mental illness and drug and alcohol dependence currently offered by the specialist services which are closing down.
‘‘What the government is asking us to do is close our doors, give up our buildings and staff, wait for another round of temporary funds with no guarantee of getting anything and then reapply again in three months," she said.
‘‘Once we close it's impossible to re-open. It's hard not to think the government has made this process so difficult on purpose, making services jump through hoops until they give up. Many already have.’’
Independent member for Sydney Alex Greenwich said shelters would be forced to close, increasing the number of homeless at the coldest time of the year.
Family and Community Services minister Gabrielle Upton said the Service Support Fund was created to cover any unintended gaps which may arise as part of the transition to new providers, which include St Vincent de Paul, Mission Australia and the Salvation Army.
She confirmed that defunded providers which use government-owned properties will be expected to hand over their keys to new providers within the next three months. She denied services would close, saying they would stay open and be managed by the new providers. The reform was intended to tackle the rising rate of homelessness in NSW.
‘‘Crucially, for the first time, funding for specialist homelessness services is being based on evidence, not history,'' she said.
Labor's spokeswoman on women Sophie Cotsis said the reform overlooked the main driver of homelessness which is lack of affordable housing and minimal growth in new social housing stock.
