Emergency Relief funding for community services in Dungog and Gloucester

THE Federal Government is providing an additional $11.7 million in funding to bolster emergency relief and financial counselling across Australia, including funds for services in Dungog and Gloucester.

A total of $8.5 million will be distributed amongst 196 Commonwealth-funded Emergency Relief providers across the country, helping them meet increased demand for their services.

This funding represents a 15 percent boost in yearly base funding for each provider, supporting families in financial stress to access support.

The Bucketts Way Neighbourhood Group will have its Emergency Relief funding reinstated after it was pulled by the Department of Social Services last year.

The Centre will receive $35,000 in 2025/26 and then $148,750 through to 2030.

The Dungog Shire Community Centre will receive an additional $6,111 in funding on top of its current Emergency Relief funding allocation for services between now and the end of this financial year.

Federal Member for Lyne Alison Penfold has welcomed the funding.

“These are not large amounts of money, and I wish it was more, but each dollar will help provide immediate assistance such as food vouchers and other emergency relief to people seeking help from both community services,” she said.

“The Bucketts Way Neighbourhood Centre should never have had their funding pulled by the Department in the first place, a decision that is still not entirely clear.

“That said, I am pleased that the Minister responded to my advocacy and has put in place arrangements for the Centre to receive the funding as soon as possible.”

Writing to the Minister for Social Services on 26 March, Ms Penfold called for an urgent increase in funding to not-for-profit community organisations under growing pressure as more Australians turn to them for support.

“With the cost-of-living crisis made worse by fuel shortages in regional Australia, these organisations are seeing record numbers of people seeking help and urgently need more immediate funding to keep supporting our most vulnerable community members.

“We are seeing more people than ever before who have never needed help – families, workers and older Australians – now turning to these centres because they simply cannot make ends meet.”