Frontline services in the domestic and family violence sector have been calling for a doubling of core funding to address the scale of the problem in NSW. Today in Budget Estimates, Abigail questioned the NSW Treasurer on why these urgent requests continue to be ignored.

Ms ABIGAIL BOYD: I have my own views on why this is and I would really appreciate a candid response—it seems that the Government is far more keen to fund new things than it is to increase existing things. We see it a lot in the domestic and family violence sector, where we see, for instance, a sector that is asking for frontline workers in existing services and to have their funding increased by double, basically, in order to meet demand. They keep asking for that, and then in every budget, whether it's your Government or the previous one, we get, "Here's some capital spend on a brand new refuge" or "Here's a program or initiative that we decided to put money into." There is never funding for what some might think of as just not being as media worthy, which is actually increasing the core funding for these services. Why is that?

The Hon. DANIEL MOOKHEY (NSW Treasurer): Firstly, I don't consider there to be a trade-off between new and existing. Secondly, I think it's very important that we do have new and additional resources here. I point to two particular initiatives. I refer to the emergency package, but I also refer to the fact that this budget made the biggest single investment in the expansion of social housing that any Government has made since World War II, half of which will be available for the family survivors of domestic violence. That is huge.

Ms ABIGAIL BOYD: We will come back to that as well, because the numbers are very odd.

The Hon. DANIEL MOOKHEY: The second point I make is that you brought a point around the particular issues to do with the campaign that has been led by NCOSS and others for a baseline funding increase for the organisations that are not-for-profit that participate in the sector. We are working with them on that. The first point I would make is that with the work we have done in respect of that particular campaign, we have been the first Government to commit to the introduction of long-term contracts. I think you make the point about the sector. The sector has a series of requests. The first is that they would like to have security of funding. That is why we have a reform process in plan with NCOSS and the ASU for the introduction of five-year funding agreements.

Ms ABIGAIL BOYD: I look forward to that being actually rolled out.

A little while back you said that you were working in consultation with the domestic and family violence sector in working out what was important. But the domestic and family violence sector have said nothing other than the funding for their core services is the number one priority.

The Hon. DANIEL MOOKHEY: No, that's not true.

Ms ABIGAIL BOYD: Domestic Violence NSW, as the peak body, has been putting that forward over and over as the most important priority, and yet that keeps getting ignored.

The Hon. DANIEL MOOKHEY: That's not the only thing they have said. Of course, they have said it. And I respect very much the contribution and the role that Domestic Violence NSW plays. Which is why I asked them, coincidently, to co-chair the shared equity redesign scheme. They did that work and it was fantastic work. They were the first ones to actually define who is a victim-survivor.

Ms ABIGAIL BOYD: Why are we ignoring their advice?

The Hon. DANIEL MOOKHEY: We're not. That's my point.

Ms ABIGAIL BOYD: But we're still not doing the very basic thing. People are being turned away because there are not enough people. These workers are being burned out because the demand is so high.

Is it because it sits on the recurring spending?

Is that why we are not funding it?

The Hon. DANIEL MOOKHEY: No... There are two issues there. Firstly, it is Domestic Violence NSW and NCOSS and it's also the Australian Services Union. We are working with all of them on this particular challenge that you are making a point on—which is a very valid point—about the challenge of keeping and recruiting people who are capable of responding to family and domestic violence... I would just point out that in addition to the other issues we have put in place, in both budgets we have incidentally accepted that when there is a wage increase handled by the Fair Work Commission, we will pass it on. We have done that as a crucial step in response to their advocacy... The second point is that we are introducing portable entitlement leave. That is also a very key ask. What I am saying, Ms Boyd, is that we are working through the requests. Does it mean that every request is going to be granted on day one? No. But we're not dismissing the problem. Nor are we suggesting that the problem is illegitimate... I am not going to tell Domestic Violence NSW to stop campaigning. I'm going to continue to make the point to them, "Please tell us what more you need."

Ms ABIGAIL BOYD: They won't be able to soon. They'll be too exhausted.

The Hon. DANIEL MOOKHEY: ... To be fair to them, in response to some of the terrible tragedies that we have seen this year, caused by men to women, Domestic Violence NSW has been an incredible partner for the Government in navigating these very complicated issues.

Ms ABIGAIL BOYD: Yes, you're very lucky.

The Hon. DANIEL MOOKHEY: We are.

Ms ABIGAIL BOYD: You should listen to them.

29 August 2024