Volunteering SA and NT

Ms COOK (Fisher) (16:09): I rise today to advise the house of the impact on service quality, efficiency and sustainability of the recent commonwealth community service tendering process by the Department of Social Services (DSS).

Our non-government sector is vital to the efficient and innovative support of many of the highest risk, vulnerable and often socioeconomically compromised groups in our community. It is by using skilled and committed volunteers that this sector manages to achieve outcomes for a price that is totally out of the government's reach if it was to try to deliver the same services itself. It is essential that these volunteers are recruited, developed and supported by a peak body with runs on the board and the skills required to maintain standards. Volunteering SA & NT is this organisation.

Incorporated in 1982, Volunteering SA & NT is a not-for-profit organisation and the peak body representing the interests of volunteers and the volunteering sector in both South Australia and the Northern Territory. Its mission is to promote and celebrate volunteering and play a key leadership role in advancing volunteering by providing an extensive range of services, support and resources to over 2,000 non-profit organisations in South Australia and the Northern Territory annually.

Additionally, Volunteering SA & NT is a foundation member of Volunteering Australia, the national volunteering peak body. Volunteering SA & NT, other state and territory volunteering peaks counterparts and association workers are a strong collective to deliver many national state and local programs and initiatives which are both significant and relevant to the federal government's civil society agenda.

Recent research from Flinders University (Dr Lisel O'Dwyer) reports that the economic contribution of volunteering to Australian society is $290 billion per year, which surpasses revenue sources from major industry sectors including mining, agriculture, defence and retail. The recently released Intergenerational Report appears to have ignored the very significant productivity contributions to Australia from volunteers in general, and especially older Australians who are contributing very significantly to Australia's GDP through their volunteering, albeit outside of a 'paid workforce' framework.

The DSS tender process has had a significant negative impact on the volunteering sector, people experiencing disadvantage, the broader community, and the not-for-profit organisations that support these people and their communities. This concern has culminated now in a Senate inquiry into the impact on service quality, efficiency and sustainability of recent commonwealth community service tendering processes by the DSS. Volunteering SA & NT has numerous concerns about this tender process and outcomes for the volunteering sector which include:

lack of consultation with the sector;

short time allowed to apply for grants (only four weeks);

a lack of transparency about program and tender design;

inconsistency with the objectives and disadvantaged target group specified in the guideline;

negative impact on service users;

inadequate quantum of funding;

short funding terms of only 12 to 16 months;

large amount of work required to apply for grants;

funding excluded for some services;

high administrative burden on tenderers;

confusing processes for applying for grants; and

decisions about grants that took almost six months.

Importantly, there are now major service delivery gaps in Adelaide and regional South Australia. Prior to this round, Volunteering SA & NT was funded by the volunteer management program to provide volunteer support and referral services to the whole of the Adelaide metro area, and they are now only funded by DSS for some selected suburbs in Adelaide.

Volunteering SA & Northern Territory has seen the colossal decrease of $186,000 per annum to their funding for Adelaide alone from $250,000 per annum to an impractical amount of $64,000 per annum. The following areas in Adelaide are unfunded and there are service delivery gaps in Brighton, Glenelg, Edwardstown, Hallett Cove, Marino, Seaview Downs, Mitchell Park, Morphettville, Sheidow Park, Trott Park, Warradale, Belair, Bellevue Heights, Blackwood, Colonel Light Gardens, Mitcham, Panorama, West Lakes, Henley Beach, Burnside, Glenside, Athelstone, Paradise, Rostrevor, Magill, Nailsworth, Broadview, Fulham, Plympton, West Beach, Beverley, Adelaide Hills, Aldgate, Stirling, Hahndorf, Echunga, Lobethal, Woodside, Mount Barker, the Mount Barker regional area, Nairne, Uraidla, Summertown and the regional areas of Port Pirie, Murray Bridge and regions, Clare, Barossa Valley, Mid North, Moonta, Wallaroo and Upper Yorke.

Unfortunately, Volunteering SA & NT cannot operate their existing service on this reduced level of funding unless this is addressed. With service delivery areas expanding and matched with adequate funding, they will likely have to turn people away according to the postcode they live in. Conversely, they cannot provide services to the organisations that require support. Please contact your local area.

Time expired.