The Australian Services Union today welcomed a substantial increase to funding for frontline homelessness services announced by the Government ahead of the Federal Budget.
ASU Assistant National Secretary Emeline Gaske said the funds directed to homelessness, particularly crisis and transitional accommodation for women and children fleeing domestic violence, was urgently needed.
“Today, our members should feel proud of their efforts to win new funding for homelessness services and the people they support who are perhaps the most vulnerable in Australia,” Ms Gaske said.
“Services and workers are struggling with reports last year that almost 300 people were being turned away every day from their services due to insufficient capacity.
“This will help make sure services are there when people need them and provides a base to build from with more state government funding.”
Ms Gaske said workers supporting people sleeping rough and fleeing domestic violence had been “holding the system together with tape and string for far too long.”
“This service system is built on the back of hard work - often unpaid overtime - of committed workers whose only concern is the vulnerable people they support.
“It is not sustainable to base a service system on good will - we desperately needed new funding to lift the sector’s capacity.
“We still need to do more to raise pay and conditions to address workforce capacity and attract more people to the sector.
“The hard-won paid equity decision made a difference but workers in this sector are still some of the lowest paid in Australia.
“We need to value the work of workers supporting our most vulnerable.
“But this substantial new funding is an important first step and we thank the Government for listening to workers and community services.”