Media Release
13 May 2024
In the midst of DV crisis, NSW organisation to lose half its funding
For 40 years Welfare Rights Centre has been helping women fleeing domestic violence access income support from Centrelink yet the Federal and State Governments will not commit to maintaining its current funding beyond 1 July 2024. With the Centre facing a 40% drop in funding from 1 July 2024, this service is set to severely contract.
“We see women who have had their claims refused because they still live with the perpetrator, women who have their payments cancelled and debts raised against them because perpetrators have provided false information to Centrelink. There is no other service in NSW that does this specialised work because social security law is so complex. We receive hundreds of referrals from other services, including domestic violence services, because support workers don’t have the expertise to resolve social security issues. We advocate directly to Centrelink and represent women through the internal and external appeals process. Without us these women would be left without access to income support and with massive unfair debts” says CEO Katherine Boyle.
In the past year, Welfare Rights Centre have helped 117 women and their children experiencing or at risk of domestic and family violence, a 20% increase on the previous year. Due to Welfare Rights Centre’s limited capacity 280 more women missed out on the help they needed. There are many more women who need help with Centrelink but don’t know where to get help.
Welfare Rights Centre is a unique and necessary service. It is the only specialist organisation in NSW that helps people who have a problem with Centrelink.
“We receive just $112,000 a year in Federal Government funding and nothing from the NSW Government to help people experiencing or at risk of family and domestic violence. While we’re grateful to have this ongoing funding for our domestic violence work it is completely inadequate and is cross-subsidised by other funding, which is about to be reduced by 40%” says Katherine Boyle.
“We lost our Domestic Violence Community Worker in March because we didn’t have enough funding to keep the position going” says Katherine Boyle.
A 40% drop in funding will have a dramatic impact on the number of people helped. The Centre will have to turn away an estimated 250 people next financial year on top of the 2000 that already don’t receive any help due to lack of capacity.
This drop in funding will occur in the wake of the Robodebt Royal Commission, which commended the work of welfare rights advocates.
“This is the Federal Government’s first budget since the Robodebt Royal Commission released its report. Now is the Federal Government’s opportunity to show its commitment to properly funding and supporting organisations such as Welfare Right Centre. A contraction of these services is not right given the huge demand for our services" says Katherine Boyle.
Welfare Rights Centre received 11,000 calls a year from 3000 individuals. It is only able to answer half of these calls, and has the capacity to offer appointments for advice to only half of the people who do get through.
“We are busier than ever. People are more desperate, their matters are more complex and require intensive work to resolve. We’re not keeping up with demand as it is. And yet we’re about to cut our services by 40%” says Katherine Boyle.
“During Robodebt, the bushfires, the pandemic and the floods we stepped up to help vulnerable people access Centrelink payments and resolve unfair debts. The demand has not gone away. Now, when we need the Federal and State Governments to step up and help us, they’ve turned away.” says Katherine Boyle.
“We prevent people from falling through the cracks of Federal and State Government services, yet ironically the State and Federal Government is letting Welfare Rights Centre fall through the cracks. Who will be there to help the people going off the cliff if we go off the cliff?”
Save Welfare Rights Centre Petition
Media Contact: Katherine Boyle
Phone: 0430 306 823
Email: [email protected]
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