Media Release
The ACT Council of Social Service (ACTCOSS) has welcomed today's announcement to continue funding for key community sector services, but calls on the ACT Government to deliver major investments in supports for vulnerable Canberrans in the forthcoming ACT Budget.
Today's announcement of support for the ACT community sector includes:
- Funding to continue specialist homelessness services established during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Ongoing support for Palliative Care ACT to fund Leo's Place, a palliative care respite facility
- An additional $825,000 over four years to support the ACT Carers Strategy 2018-2028
- $9.4m over four years for Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health and Community Services to continue to deliver a holistic model of health service for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander detainees in the Alexander Maconochie Centre
- Grant funding to Hands Across Canberra for two charity house projects. Proceeds from house sales will be available through the Chief Minister's Charitable Fund to help other local charities.
ACTCOSS CEO, Dr Emma Campbell said: "We welcome funding to continue these key community services.
"When the Chief Minister announced these measures, he acknowledged that the community sector has shown up time and time again to ensure that all those who call Canberra home can have the support they need.
"ACTCOSS calls on the ACT Government to ensure that the community sector has the support it needs to be able to meet increasing demands and costs of delivering those services.
"Over 38,000 Canberrans are living below the poverty line, including 9,000 children. The recent increases in cost of living have been staggering and disproportionately affect every facet of life for people on low incomes.
"The ACT continues to face a housing crisis. The ACT budget must go beyond funding emergency measures. It must fix the source of the problem - Canberra's massive shortage of social and affordable housing.
"ACTCOSS looks forward to further, significant announcements in the next month's ACT budget to boost investment in housing, community services and other supports so that vulnerable Canberrans are protected during these difficult times," Dr Campbell said.
