5. RUSSELL FAIRBROTHER (Labour) Link to this
to the Minister for Social Development and Employment
What progress has been made towards the full funding of community organisations delivering essential services to children, young people, and families?
Hon RUTH DYSON (Minister for Social Development and Employment) Link to this
The first Pathways to Partnership payments are now going out to over 850 community groups. Yesterday I met with the Mother of Divine Mercy Refuge Charitable Trust, which supports families that have experienced family violence. This year the trust will receive a funding increase of more than $110,000, and its funding will continue to increase every year until it reaches full funding in 2012. Organisations like the Mother of Divine Mercy Refuge Charitable Trust are being recognised by our Government for the vital services and support that they provide.
Russell Fairbrother Link to this
What reports has the Minister seen of alternative funding models for the community sector?
I have seen a model built on the philosophy that “the Government is really just a purchaser of services and the need to sustain a longer-term relationship is not an explicit part of its actions.” That is the model advocated by the National Party—an approach based on competitive bidding wars. The model would favour large providers, such as the huge Australian organisation currently courting the National Party. Local community groups would be left struggling and unable to support the vulnerable families that need their help.
Judith CollinsWhy has it taken 9 years for this Government to finally adopt full funding, when it has known for years that community groups are struggling to meet their costs due to the uncertainty over funding, the 1-year contracts, and the taking away of contracts just as they get going; and why is the full-funding model that the Minister has announced being adopted by the Government only after National announced it would do it—why does she have to copy National Party policy again?
There are three quick points that I would like to make. Firstly, it is a bizarre situation for that member to be saying “too little, too late” to a move in the Budget that she and her party opposed and voted against on the public record. Secondly, within each Budget there is only a certain amount of National Party wreckage that we can restore—like restoring superannuation, and like returning to income-related rents for State housing. Thirdly, I want to clarify the misunderstanding that the member has about her own party policy, which is not to have full funding for essential social services, but is, to quote John Key, to “encourage community groups to put in bids”—in a competitive tendering process—“which reflect the full cost of delivery,”. That is a big difference.