The Australian Council of Social Service has called on the NSW government to reverse a decision to the cut funding for the Welfare Rights Centre, which provides vital support for some of the most vulnerable people and families throughout NSW.
‘The decision by the NSW Department of Community Services is short-sighted as a cost cutting measure, because cutting funding that prevents homelessness, poverty and empowers people’s rights will end up costing us more in the end,’ said ACOSS CEO Dr Cassandra Goldie.
‘The Welfare Rights Centre provides crucial advise and support for people in dealing with the federal bureaucracy over income support. Its work leads to poor decisions by Centrelink to be overturned each year so that people have enough income to stabilise their lives, find paid employment and strengthen their families.
‘Although social security and family assistance are Commonwealth areas, states like NSW get enormous value and benefits. For instance, approximately $2 million of debt is prevented or waived annually by the Centre’s caseworker interventions.
‘Welfare Rights’ work is so important in assisting some of the most disadvantaged families and young people, people with disabilities, older people and unemployed people. Some of their casework prevents the removal of children, and their work relieves pressures on other agencies.
‘There is no alternative provider of this specialist service in NSW and it would be a travesty if these cuts were to proceed.
‘At the end of the day tackling poverty is a federal and state responsibility. NSW cannot simply relinquish this responsibility to the federal government in an area that clearly crosses that federal-state divide.
‘We ask the NSW Community Services Minister Pru Goward to reconsider her department’s decision and reinstate this important funding. In this way she would send a strong message of her state’s commitment to sharing responsibility for supporting people needing specialist assistance in an area that’s fundamental to their daily lives,’ Dr Goldie said.
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