Essential new funding for the Gascoyne for the not-for-profit human services sector, Catania
Author: Vincent Catania
Published on: 08-July-2011
Vincent Catania MLA, Member for North West, said additional funding of $600 million over four years provided in this year’s Liberal-National Budget will ensure a sustainable not-for-profit sector and deliver a real substantial cash injection by State Government to this essential sector for the carer and human services they provide.
The additional funding will enable the Government to support the most disadvantaged and vulnerable in our community.
Vince Catania said the new contracts give the appropriate level of assistance to not-for-profit organisations to allow them to improve the care they provide and continue to deliver sustainable quality services across the Western Australian community and especially to the Gascoyne
$491 million over four years has been allocated to provide a funding increase to service agreements with the not-for-profit sector, resulting in an average 25% increase to contracts by 2014-15.
“In order to address the not-for-profit sector’s immediate financial needs, funding of $374 million over four years has been allocated to fund an upfront across-the-board percentage price adjustment of 15% for eligible not-for-profit human services contracts from 1 July 2011.
“The contract variations are subject to confirmation by relevant not-for-profit organisations prior to the adjustment being finalised and payments made. This information is based on eligible contracts currently in place as advised by relevant government agencies and will be finalised throughout July.
It is expected that further clarification of other issues, including the eligibility of contracts and other funding arrangements, will be resolved over coming months.
This process will result in organisations in the North West receiving a 15% adjustment to the contract value which will be paid in accordance with their established payment schedules under the contracts,” he said.
Organisations operating in the region set to beneift from the increases include the Apprenticeship and Traineeship Company, ARAFMI, Centacare, Carnarvon Family Support Services, Clontarf, Mission Australia, Perth Home Care Services, RFDS, Silver Chain and Mungullah Community Aboriginal Corporation.
“Often these people are some of the lowest paid workers in our community, yet they do some of the hardest work. They are the people who care for: the deaf and blind; children and adults with profound intellectual and physical disabilities; those who have been injured and maimed in accidents; those who suffer debilitating mental illness; and families and children in crisis,” Vincent Catania said.
The Government is implementing less onerous and cumbersome reporting requirements on the not-for-profit sector and standardising contracting practices across government agencies.
He said the new funding will allow organisations in our local area to improve service delivery for their contracts and ensure the quality of critical services to the WA community provided on behalf of Government.
