Monday 25 October
The Recent NSW Government Announcement on Increased Funding for Domestic Violence Services in NSW
Along with all the other service providers and agencies that work in the Domestic Violence and Homelessness sector, Mary’s House Services welcomes the NSW Government’s announcement that more than $464 million will be spent over 4 years on tackling Domestic Violence, with specific focus on providing extra refuges and accommodation options to support women and children escaping abusive relationships.
What does this mean?
This funding is focused on new projects – specifically new refuges that are built using the “core and cluster” model, and on new community housing innovations. The aim for this to create 75 new refuges across the state, as well as additional social and affordable housing. This will go a long way towards addressing the dire shortage of crisis and affordable accommodation for women and children who are at risk of homelessness and are impacted by domestic violence and is a hugely positive step.
There is an emphasis on providing funding to services that support Aboriginal families, older women and young people and children. While some funding is available for Metro Sydney, the goal is for most of the funded projects to support communities in other areas of the state, specifically Western Sydney, Coffs Harbour and Wagga Wagga.
We understand that the funding is to commence on projects from July 2022 and will be spent over the following four years.
Implications for Mary’s House Services
While it is extremely unlikely that, as an existing service, located in the community of North Sydney, we would be the recipient of any of this funding, MHS welcomes the increased financial support in a sector that is under-funded and under-resourced, especially given the huge increase in demand for services that has been experienced in the last 12 months.
Mary’s House remains reliant on our generous donors for our ongoing operations and we welcome the addition of the new Refuges across the State.
Claire Barber
CEO
Mary’s House Services
