McCORMACK CALLING FOR MORE SUPPORT FUNDING FOR WAGGA WOMEN’S HEALTH CENTRE

Federal Member for Riverina Michael McCormack is pleased that calls to reinstate funding for the Wagga Women’s Health Centre have been heeded, but says more needs to be done to secure long-term funding and bolster critical funding which has been saving women’s lives in the region.

Whilst the Wagga Women’s Health Centre’s Domestic and Family Violence and Sexual Assault Crisis Support and Counselling funding has been extended for another 12 months, this still leaves significant instability in the future of this service and does not address the three- to six-month waiting list for counselling services. Long-term and increased funding is needed to ensure adequate support is available for women and their children in the Riverina when and where they need it.

Mr McCormack has urged decision-makers across the political spectrum to do more to ensure organisations assisting women seeking safety are not left behind.

“The consideration of a cutback of resources to the Wagga Women’s Health Centre (WWHC) is unfathomable, particularly in light of an uptick in domestic and family violence in the past year, according to the latest Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) data,” Mr McCormack said.

“WWHC Director Johanna Elms tells me the establishment of the $925 million Leaving Violence Program from the Government would not substitute the WWHC’s loss of funding as the program is tied to the courts and eligibility is limited, which means most of the women seeking assistance through the health centre will not be able to access this funding.

“This issue is too important to only apply Band-Aid solutions – the Government must look at all facets of this complicated matter to come up with a suite of measures, which will include front-line organisations such as the Wagga Women’s Health Centre, to ensure a holistic approach to help eradicate this awful scourge on society.

“The regions cannot be forgotten in the Government’s response. There is an opportunity in the upcoming Budget to address these important issues.”

“It is important that elected representatives listen to those who are on the domestic and family violence front-line, such as WWHC Director Johanna Elms, who are best placed to help lead a needs-based solution to providing better support to those who need it most.”