Labor will deliver more job security and funding certainty for our community services sector, by introducing longer term five year funding arrangements for key community service providers.
 
This will benefit the over 7,800 non-government organisations that operate in the sector; the more than 240,000 workers they employ; and the over one million people they support.
 
These essential frontline workers – predominantly women – have been vital in supporting some of the most vulnerable people in our community, including throughout the pandemic, fires, droughts and floods, as well as homelessness, domestic and family violence, and child protection.

It will have a positive impact on the services providing front line care and support to victim-survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, Jodie Harrison, NSW Shadow Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault, said. 
 
“These organisations and workers provide essential support to some of the most vulnerable in our community, from those experiencing natural disasters to domestic violence,” she said. 

Under the Liberals and Nationals, one in four community service workers are employed on short term contracts, according to a NSW Council of Social Services report.
 
These organisations are often forced to reapply for their funding every 12, six or even three months.
 
The applications are onerous and often differ among the various government departments.  
 
As a result, one in three organisations reported difficulties recruiting and retaining staff.
 
And organisations are often forced to compete, rather than collaborate, which leads to a race to the bottom on wages and conditions in a sector comprised of predominantly women.
 
Labor’s plan will deliver longer term funding to foster greater job security for many thousands of women workers as well as provide organisations the freedom to plan into the future.  
 
It will also allow these organisations to spend more time on service delivery, rather than on administrative tasks.
 
Labor will also establish a taskforce to engage with the sector on the development of a new funding framework and jobs compact.
 
The taskforce will work to standardise and streamline reporting and contract management.
 
It will also establish a whole-of-government prequalification process so that organisations don’t need to repeat onerous accreditation processes.
 
And it will review funding models to stop the race to the bottom on wages, provide secure jobs and ensure adherence to award conditions.