❓ Hon Robin Scott questions the Minister for Regional Development regarding sustainable funding for Community Resource Centres (CRCs), particularly concerning frozen funding levels and the impact of the Equal Remuneration Order (ERO). The Minister clarifies that funding is not frozen and outlines government support for the community services sector in light of the ERO.
AnsweredQoN 50Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
COMMUNITY RESOURCE
CENTRES — FUNDING
50. Hon ROBIN SCOTT to the Minister for Regional Development:
I refer to the issue of sustainable
funding for community resource centres, which is the key issue for the future
of those CRCs.
(1) Does the
government intend to keep the freeze on funding levels for CRCs for the forward
estimates?
(2) Does the
government acknowledge that the CRCs have had to absorb a large rise in wage
costs, in moving to a new award and transitional increases under the equal
remuneration order?
(3) What is the
government doing to address the issue of sustainability of CRCs, considering
they have had to absorb the ERO while the budget for the program remains frozen
over the forward estimates?
CENTRES — FUNDING
50. Hon ROBIN SCOTT to the Minister for Regional Development:
I refer to the issue of sustainable
funding for community resource centres, which is the key issue for the future
of those CRCs.
(1) Does the
government intend to keep the freeze on funding levels for CRCs for the forward
estimates?
(2) Does the
government acknowledge that the CRCs have had to absorb a large rise in wage
costs, in moving to a new award and transitional increases under the equal
remuneration order?
(3) What is the
government doing to address the issue of sustainability of CRCs, considering
they have had to absorb the ERO while the budget for the program remains frozen
over the forward estimates?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the
question.
(1) Firstly,
payments to community resource centres are not frozen. Indexation has been
factored into the funding agreements that are in place with community resource
centres.
(2)–(3) We acknowledge that there has been an equal
remuneration order at a federal level. On 19 December 2019, our government announced that it would spend up to
$60 million over four years to ensure the sustainability of the
community services sector in light of the ERO. I understand a contract audit is
underway, and the principles and mechanisms for allocation of the funds are
being developed.
question.
(1) Firstly,
payments to community resource centres are not frozen. Indexation has been
factored into the funding agreements that are in place with community resource
centres.
(2)–(3) We acknowledge that there has been an equal
remuneration order at a federal level. On 19 December 2019, our government announced that it would spend up to
$60 million over four years to ensure the sustainability of the
community services sector in light of the ERO. I understand a contract audit is
underway, and the principles and mechanisms for allocation of the funds are
being developed.
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