With so-called "record" spends on Family and Community Services, mental health and domestic violence, Life Foundations Food Pantry workers Leonie Pearce and Lynda Atkinson hope the NSW Budget will make tangible differences for Inverell’s most vulnerable community members.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
“Every time the budget comes out, we’ll see an influx into our office a few months after that. Especially when it changes pensions and incomes,” pantry manager Mrs Pearce said. She said there were many obstacles impacting low income families such as unexpected medical bills, rising energy and housing costs and mental illnesses.
Financial counsellor Mrs Atkinson agreed, and said homelessness and drug addictions were escalating in Inverell. Spending from the Family and Community Services (FACS) cluster will increase by seven per cent, with $7 billion pledged to help vulnerable families, social housing tenants and homeless people.
Mrs Pearce said she hoped some of the $19 million promised to help break the social housing cycle would be “flicked our way”. The funds are expected to go towards parenting, health, education, work and training. “Imagine how we could help in Inverell,” Mrs Atkinson said.
“It’s getting worse. More people need help with electricity, more people need food welfare. More people are falling behind in rent payments because they can’t afford to do this, or they have to travel for medical.”
The pair supported FACS’ early intervention focus, and said education was the key to help families stuck in poor financial and parenting cycles.They looked forward to the chance to tap into the $65 million planned for community development and strengthening programs, and said the Food Pantry’s recent financial counselling workshop would fall in that category.
Mrs Pearce said small investments such as the Active Kids Rebate could make a big difference for many. Families in NSW will be eligible to receive up to $100 per school-aged child to help meet the costs of community sport commitments.
The reform of the CTP Green Slip scheme could also relieve financial pressures for low income families, said Mrs Pearce.
From December this year, the average price of a Green Slip will be reduced by at least $100, and the time to resolve a claim will be reduced. She said many locals fall through the cracks and come to the Pantry asking for help when their registration is due.
The women were cautiously optimistic about the $1.9 billion to be invested in mental health initiatives and $350 over four years to tackle domestic violence. The national program will receive $6.2 million in the budget.