TasCOSS has released the initial findings of our Community Services Industry Sustainability Pulse Check, revealing significant pressures on the capacity and sustainability of our industry.
The statewide pulse check found three-in-five (60%) organisations have had to turn people away over the past 12 months due to a lack of resources, while 81% have experienced increased demand without additional resources.
The findings also paint a concerning picture of the financial sustainability of the industry:
- Only one-in-five (21%) organisations consider themselves financially sustainable;
- 53% expect to make a loss this financial year;
- 87% have not received additional funding to cover mandated wage increases; and
- 58% have experienced a reduction in funding over the past 12 months.
It is clear that rising demand, increasing costs and inadequate funding are combining to create a serious service capacity problem. Read the two page industry snapshot!
The Impact on Tasmanians
The consequences of failing to address the cost pressures facing community organisations are more Tasmanians missing out on the support they need now, as well as preventable higher costs to our health, justice, human services and welfare systems in the long-term.
The snapshot also revealed 48% of organisations have reduced services due to financial pressures, and 42% have reduced staff hours in the past 12 months.
What the Industry Says Needs to Change
Organisations responding to the pulse check identified clear priorities for government action, including better indexation arrangements (76%), funding to cover mandated wage increases (66%) and longer-term funding agreements (53%).
Next Steps
Thank you to everyone who contributed to the pulse check. Your responses have given us powerful evidence of the pressures facing organisations across Tasmania and, importantly, what those pressures mean for the people and communities you support.
Late last week, I briefed Minister for Community and Multicultural Affairs, the Hon Roger Jaensch MP, directly on the findings, including our priorities for more sustainable funding, fit-for-purpose indexation and greater funding certainty.
We’re now taking these findings to the media to build broader awareness of what the evidence shows, but our advocacy won’t stop with the release of the snapshot. We’ll continue to use this evidence in our discussions with the Tasmanian Government, politicians and other decision-makers, while working with members and the broader community services industry to advocate for change which puts our industry on more stable footing.
Snapshot/Flowcharts
Social Media Tiles/Graphics:
NB: Click on the heading to download the .png file.
