The new financial year brings another round of rising costs for community service organisations and the people we support, with increases to electricity, water, rates and other essential operating costs taking effect from 1 July.
At the same time, organisations are managing the financial impacts of the Fair Work Commission’s minimum wage increase and changes to the SCHADS Industry Award. These hard-fought and well-deserved wage increases for a workforce that has long been undervalued are vital. However, they also reinforce the need for government funding to keep pace with the true cost of delivering essential community services.
As a industry, we are resilient. We are accustomed to finding solutions, adapting to change and continuing to support our communities through challenging times.
But resilience should not be mistaken for unlimited capacity. We simply cannot continue to absorb rising costs, while demand for services continues to grow. Eventually, something has to give, and too often that means fewer essential services available to Tasmanians who need them most.
That is why TasCOSS, in partnership with the Tasmanian Coalition of Community Service Peaks, continues to call for fair and reasonable funding contracts, that better reflect rising demand and the increased costs of doing business.
Inadequate indexation remains one of the most significant pressures facing community organisations, with funding consistently failing to keep pace with wages, inflation and other operating costs.
Recently, I took this up with the Premier at my first meeting with him, and I welcome his commitment to raise this issue with the Prime Minister in writing, seeking improvements to the way indexation is applied across Commonwealth and state-funded services.
Over the coming months, TasCOSS will be working closely with members to better identify and quantify funding gaps across the industry. We’ll also be inviting you to complete a survey to help us understand how these cost pressures are affecting your organisation and the services you deliver.
In the meantime, I encourage you to join our bi-monthly TasCOSS Members Network Meetings to connect with colleagues across the industry, share experiences and collaborate on the issues that matter most.
Your insights and experiences are critical. They help ensure our advocacy reflects the realities facing our members and strengthen our collective voice, as we continue to advocate for the funding and policy settings needed to support Tasmania’s community services industry, and the Tasmanians who rely on it.
A warm welcome to our newest TasCOSS Members:
Organisational Membership:
- Bridge and Bloom
- Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare (Tasmania)
- Fostering Hope
- St.Giles
Individual Membership:
- Sarah Trousdale
- Carol-Ann Fletcher
- Soloman Hope
- Eliza Jones
- Nicole McBride
- Lyndon Northeast