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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2012-02-29 Daily Xml
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COMMUNITY BENEFIT SA

The Hon. J.M. GAZZOLA (15:00): My question is to the Minister for Communities and Social Inclusion. Will you inform us how the charitable and social welfare fund Community Benefit SA is helping to strengthen the community?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Communities and Social Inclusion, Minister for Social Housing, Minister for Disabilities, Minister for Youth, Minister for Volunteers) (15:00): I would like to thank the honourable member for his very important question and for his close association with the answer I am about to give about how the community benefit fund benefits local communities in particular, but also an organisation that is very close to his heart, that being Foodbank.

Community Benefit SA provides one-off funding to incorporated non-government, non-profit charitable social welfare organisations to assist disadvantaged individuals, families and communities. The Hon. Mr Gazzola is a very charitable person, as you well know, and he is very interested in that sector of our community. CBSA responds to the emerging needs in the community as well as the priorities of the government. It is not surprising that the fund aligns with the seven targets of the South Australian Strategic Plan: psychological wellbeing, volunteering, Aboriginal leadership, multiculturalism, early childhood development, economic disadvantage and housing people with disabilities.

The Hon. T.J. Stephens interjecting:

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: The Hon. Terry Stephens notes the incredible amount of class that I bring to this chamber, and I thank him for that comment. The core objectives of the fund are community strengthening, community engagement, sustainability, social enterprise, partnerships with key stakeholders and social innovation. Community Benefit SA consults with relevant government funding and policy bodies to ensure that projects are funded to complement other programs that are underway.

Both the CBSA board and staff members conduct visits to see firsthand some of the projects funded, and this provides an insight into the needs of the community and how organisations are responding to those needs. Community Benefit SA continues to improve its service delivery by streamlining procedures and processes, and conducts workshops in metropolitan and rural areas to assist organisations to develop skills in writing applications for funding.

Recently I had the opportunity to visit Foodbank in Berri. Community Benefit SA has contributed $40,000 to this project to establish a regional Foodbank service based in the Riverland and Lower Mallee regions by part funding the purchase of a three-pallet capacity refrigerated delivery van to deliver 80,000 kilograms (equivalent to 200,000 meals) of emergency food relief to 30 regional welfare groups.

I was very pleased to see the progress of the facility, which is due for completion in March, as this will strengthen the capacity of the region to assist struggling families in need of support. Foodbank's General Manager Leigh Royans told me the initiative will service the needs of the welfare groups operating in the region and beyond to help individuals and families in crisis. Projects like the Foodbank facility are a great example of how Community Benefit SA is strengthening communities in South Australia.

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