Extension of funding for accommodation under SAAP to June 30, 1998

2/11/95

All existing women's refuges, youth hostels and accommodation for homeless men and women in the Supported Accommodation Assistance Program (SAAP) will be offered secure funding through to June 30, 1998.

The decision was announced today by Family and Children's Services Minister Roger Nicholls, who said he had previously announced that existing agreements had been extended to June 30, 1996.

The new agreements would be negotiated within that period and would need to incorporate the national SAAP reforms covering data collection, case management and SAAP service standards.

"We have been moving to put the funding of all non-Government agencies on to three-year agreements and it is time to do the same for the SAAP agencies," the Minister said.

He said the decision to extend service agreements to 1998 would remove the greatest area of uncertainty surrounding the proposed State SAAP reforms.

He had made the decision after discussions with the SAAP Reference Group, whose non-Government and State and Commonwealth members had been receiving feedback from the sector.

The reference group would continue to function and would assist him with the implementation of changes.

The reference group had assured him that the sector was committed to achieving the outcomes of the proposed reforms, but felt it was necessary to offer security to agencies and their staff.

The broad objectives of greater efficiency, more choice of services for clients, and decentralisation of services were supported by the sector and there would be co-operation in working towards them.

One of the most pressing needs in SAAP was to provide an efficient and effective system of data collection. 

The absence of reliable data had been acknowledged by both the national and State reviews of SAAP as a serious hindrance to planning and reform.

Mr Nicholls said he believed the proposal to fund all existing services until June 30, 1998, while slowly introducing changes would be acceptable to the Commonwealth Government which was a partner with the State in SAAP.

Media contact:  Hugh Ryan 221 5468