Community services need some assurances for the future, writes Adrienne Picone.
A GROUP of Tasmanian community services industry peak bodies has established a coalition to deliver a simple joint message to the incoming government support Tasmanians by prioritising and resourcing the industry that supports them.
The coalition of 16 peak bodies is specifically calling on the next government to reset the relationship and work in a stronger partnership with us to build a more sustainable community services industry that supports Tasmanians now and into the future.
Tasmanians are hurting in this cost of living crisis, and every day we see the pain being experienced.
They are worried about housing, health and education, and costs associated with rent, energy, transport and food, and their general wellbeing is under threat. None of this will come as a surprise to readers of this newspaper.
There is increased demand for community services, which means we need to provide more and stronger services to Tasmanians at a time when we are under-resourced. If you look at the most recent Tasmanian budget, you will see that there was very little provided for the community services industry.
With all of this in mind, we are seeking a fairer funding model that guarantees five year funding contracts, with at least six months’ notice of contract renewals, and an indexation rate that covers the true cost of running the essential services Tasmanians rely on.
These essential services include emergency food relief, domestic, family and sexual violence support, children and family services, mental health assistance, and services that support people experiencing homelessness.
The budget surety we are seeking is important. It means we can collectively support Tasmanians, retain our staff who deliver the services, and make longer-term decisions that deliver better value for money. At the same time, the industry recognises and understands that any incoming government will have significant budgetary issues to manage.
We are not ignoring this important context.
But if the government of the day is serious about trying to improve outcomes for Tasmanians, particularly those most in need, it needs to understand that the community services industry can be an important and significant partner.
Working in partnership with the industry — which for the record employs 28,000 highly skilled workers and benefits from the efforts of 46,000 volunteers — will improve the general wellbeing of the population and prevent more Tasmanians seeking acute and crisis services.
We call on all political parties and candidates to outline how they will work in partnership with our essential industry to prioritise all Tasmanians and build a sustainable community services industry.
Tasmanian Coalition of Community Service Peaks 2025 Tasmanian Election Priorities:
- Fast-track the implementation of five year funding contracts across the industry.
- Implement funding review processes, at least six months before the end date of a contract.
- Commit to an indexation figure that reflects the true cost of doing business.
- Provide a commitment to reset the relationship with the community services industry through a Partnership Agreement with the Tasmanian Coalition of Community Service Peaks and the Tasmanian Government, based on respect and collaboration.
For more information, please visit tascoss.org.au/coalition-of-community-service-peaks.
Adrienne Picone is the chief executive of the Tasmanian Council of Social Service (TasCOSS) and spokesperson for the Tasmanian Coalition of Community Service Peaks.