Ms LAWRIE - 2005-05-04
The non-government sector performs a vital role in service delivery to Territory families. Can you advise the House on how the Martin government is backing non-government health and community service providers?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Karama for her important question. Yes, the Martin government is backing non-government organisations which provide vital health and community services to Territory families.
Since 2001, this government has substantially increased support to Health and Community Services. We have also substantially increased the proportion of funding flowing to non-government organisations, with 50% of the total Community Services budget going directly to that sector. We have increased funding to the non-government sector from $55m in 2001 to $80m in the 2005-06 budget.
Budget 2005 continues the support by building in grant indexation to meet the real costs of providing these important services. From 1 July 2005, grants will be indexed to take into account both inflation and standard CPI increases as well as wage movements in the Northern Territory public sector. This means an additional $1.1m to the non-government sector in 2005-06 and an automatic increase each year.
The previous government neglected community services. We inherited a system that had been unsupported and unfunded for many years and, despite staunch opposition from the CLP, we also committed $10m to tackling petrol sniffing, with this money already rolling out to the community sector. The Martin government knows there is more to be done and we will continue to build and support our community sector as we move the Territory ahead.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Karama for her important question. Yes, the Martin government is backing non-government organisations which provide vital health and community services to Territory families.
Since 2001, this government has substantially increased support to Health and Community Services. We have also substantially increased the proportion of funding flowing to non-government organisations, with 50% of the total Community Services budget going directly to that sector. We have increased funding to the non-government sector from $55m in 2001 to $80m in the 2005-06 budget.
Budget 2005 continues the support by building in grant indexation to meet the real costs of providing these important services. From 1 July 2005, grants will be indexed to take into account both inflation and standard CPI increases as well as wage movements in the Northern Territory public sector. This means an additional $1.1m to the non-government sector in 2005-06 and an automatic increase each year.
The previous government neglected community services. We inherited a system that had been unsupported and unfunded for many years and, despite staunch opposition from the CLP, we also committed $10m to tackling petrol sniffing, with this money already rolling out to the community sector. The Martin government knows there is more to be done and we will continue to build and support our community sector as we move the Territory ahead.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016