York Community Resource Centre is one of more than 100 CRCs that could have their funding slashed by more than 40 per cent as of 2019.
In the 2017/18 State budget the Government announced a review of all Royalties for Regions initiatives which included a 38.5 per cent cut in allocated funding for Community Resource Centre from the 2019/20 budget onwards, dropping from $13 million a year to $8 million a year.
Prior to the announcing in April last year the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Alannah MacTiernan announced there would be a full review of the CRC program and that CRC contracts would be shorted from 33 months to 18 months.
What this means for our local CRCs
In York the Community Resource Centre assists with Secretarial Services, Printing & Photocopying, Room Hire & Catering, Exam Supervision, Business Advocacy Services, Internet & Computer Usage, Centrelink Access Point, Government Access Point, TRANSWA Agent, Training Courses, Employing local community members, including 1-2 trainee’s per year, School Holiday Activities, Youth Engagement, Information Workshops, Book Exchange and the York Business Directory.
The York CRC Chairman Gordon Marwick has a saying that the York CRC is the glue that holds the community together.
York CRC coordinator Robyn Garratt said the centre has an extremely passionate team, both in the employees and management committee who work hard to provide for the community.
“We provide our community with events, information sessions and services over and above what our current Government Funding allows, simply because we feel our community deserve it,” Ms Garratt said.
“With a cut as significant as 40 per cent per cent it could mean a loss of up to two staff members, or limiting the number of hours we are open to the public.
“We have always thought of ourselves as a vital part of the community, and hope that when the time comes, they will stand beside us in the fight to stay open.
“We encourage everyone to utilise our services as much as they can, and come along to our events to show your support and let us know that you want us and need us here for you.
“Without our community, we are nothing.”
The review explained
Linkwest – the peak body for Community Resource Centres in WA said they have received notification the WA Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development – which currently funds more than 100 remote and rural CRCs in WA about $100,000 each – will only conduct an internal departmental evaluation on how to apply the 40 per cent funding cut across the program and it will present an options paper to the Minister by June 30, 2018.
“The options could include a mixture of defunding some CRCs and reduced funding of up to 40% for others and the news has been devastating for our members, hard-working CRC coordinators and staff, and the local remote communities they serve,’ said Linkwest CEO Jane Chilcott.
“The CRC network is an extremely efficient, cost effective service that provides access to government services at a very low cost. There is no fat to be trimmed. Staff are paid low wages and most buildings are modest.
“Linkwest is confident that, should an independent review be undertaken, it will reveal all the essential services the centres provide. In fact a previous review reported the program was both economically productive for the state and assisted with the roll out of essential services, and provided State Government with significant potential for cost savings in delivery of services into rural WA.
“The whole network has become destabilised due to current uncertainty, and many of the staff are fearful they will lose their jobs and are very concerned for the wellbeing of the most vulnerable members of their communities.
“CRCs provide vital services to many of the state’s most disadvantaged. Often CRCs are the only access points for wifi for many in remote areas including Aboriginal communities such as the Kalumburu Community Resource Centre in the far North West. For some in WA including the Wheatbelt, CRCs – once known as Telecentres – are also a lifeline that enables them to fill in online forms for Centrelink, Department of Transport and Australian Tax Office information, and other Federal and State requirements.
“Many CRCs also operate as community hubs. In Pingelly, for example, the CRC coordinates important emergency services such as bookkeeping for St John’s Ambulance. Some CRCs also coordinate food parcels for families who have fallen on hard times and are hungry and many work on the front line in suicide prevention, as warm and friendly faces of CRC staff often assist mentally ill or those in desperate need of a listening ear out in the bush.”
The Minister’s response
When questioned on the review into Community Resource Centres during the first session back at Parliament, Minister for Regional Development Alannah MacTiernan said it is being done in consultation with CRC staff.
“The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development led review will provide: an analysis of the CRC network including locations, functions and budget, both current and historic; an analysis of previous reviews undertaken of the CRC program; clarity and recommendations on core functions of CRCs into the future; recommendations to improve engagement and partnerships between state government agencies and the CRC network; and options to meet the revised budget,” said Ms MacTiernan.
“We anticipate the review will be completed by the middle of the year.
“DPIRD staff already have a close working relationship with the CRC network and will continue to consult with CRCs as required throughout the review.
“We are open to constructive ideas about how we can meet the new budget circumstances and I will be taking opportunities to meet with CRCs during the review process.
“CRC service providers and partners will be consulted as required.
“The CRC review will consider both the service priority review and the sustainable health review as they relate to the future operation of the CRC network.”
Costings explained
“Last week the Minister stated that CRCs had a massive increase in CRC expenditure over five years,” Ms Chilcott said.
“In 2011, the CRC program costs increased from $6m to $12m. It is now $13m. There was a one-off doubling of the cost of the program which was to address the historic under funding of the program. Many of the, mostly female, staff at the time were being paid below the minimum wage. CRCs are now funded approximately $100,000 per annum and can now pay their staff the minimum of the award wage.
“Linkwest and the CRC network want to work with government to help it meet its reform agenda. A move to return to underfunding a program that is evidence based and used widely by multiple government agencies and community partners will be a loss of opportunity for the ongoing development and invigoration of regional Western Australia. In short, slashing CRC funding will be a disaster both economically and socially for remote and rural WA.”
The oppositions response
Nationals member for the Agricultural Region Martin Aldridge said while the Government is borrowing money they are cutting a range of regional infrastructure and services.
“Obviously there has been a focus at the moment on education but there is much more than education,” Mr Aldridge said.
“Regional childcare centres have completely lost their funding from the Government, Community Resource Centres who are the life blood of many of our towns are going to lose 40 per cent of their funding in a little over 12 months time.
“There are some very serious services that are going to be cut or have been cut by Labor.
“CRCs run on the sniff of an oily rag and it runs contrary to the Governments motto about delivering Government services more efficiently decentralising Government services.
“In many of these small towns that have a CRC it’s the only Government service there apart from the police, the local government and the school.
“They are the ones who connect our community with Government in so many ways.
“To pick an arbitrary figure out of the budget and say we’re going to take $5 million out of the budget and you guys are going to have to work out how to make do without it, which is essentially the approach of Allanah MacTiernan, really fails to comprehend was CRCs really do in our community.”