Opposition leader and Maribyrnong MP Bill Shorten has vowed Labor will fight any federal government-proposed cuts to the housing and homelessness sector.
The Weekly last week revealed vulnerable women at risk of family violence face greater danger without urgent funding to Footscray-based Women’s Health West (WHW) when a state and federal government homelessness funding agreement runs out at the end of June.
Mr Shorten said his party would fight to ensure invaluable services provided by local agencies under the National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness (NPAH) were not lost.
“I was disappointed to read that local housing services, including those offered by Women’s Health West, are at risk due to the Abbott government’s lack of commitment to homelessness funding, as reported in the Maribyrnong Weekly this week,” he said.
A range of services are funded through the NPAH in Melbourne’s west, including crisis accommodation, family violence services and preventive programs.
“Given the important aims of the NPAH, it is incredibly disappointing that the Abbott government has failed to commit to ongoing funding,” Mr Shorten said.
“Instead, they have suggested an announcement will not be made until the federal budget in May. For many local agencies this will be too little, too late.”
WHW chief executive Robyn Gregory said without NPAH funding many of its programs would end.
“Not knowing the future of our funding is causing us great angst.”
Gellibrand MP Tim Watts said WHW provided vital services to women dealing with traumatic circumstances.
“It’s very concerning that funding for domestic violence programs through the National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness may be in jeopardy,” he said.
A spokeswoman for Social Services Minister Kevin Andrews said the government was still working on funding details. “We know this creates significant uncertainty for service providers.”
