‘When we turn people away, people die’
Northern Beaches Women’s Shelter could lose $68,500 in subsidy funding when council reviews money it allocates to non-profit groups.
The shelter is in its final year of a three-year grant from council, which is part of a wider funding pool – $64,000 from the Department of Communities and Justice and $103,000 to cover an intake and assessment worker (housing innovation grant).
Shelter chief executive officer Narelle Hand told PL that part of the council subsidy pays for an outreach worker, for which government funding is unavailable, and that losing it would have a ‘huge financial impact.’ Outreach supports women when they leave the shelter, Ms Hand explained.
“Outreach is important if they have a tenancy or a court issue. They can step back in for short term support which prevents them from landing back into homelessness.”
The shelter was exceeding key performance indicators set by council and had seen an 20% increase in demand for its services.
“We don’t want to have to cut our services,” Ms Hand said. “When we turn people away, people die.”
Despite these statistics, Ms Hand said the shelter was the lowest government funded service on the Beaches and doing the most fundraising.
“We’re concerned that there’s an expectation we’ll find the money, but fundraising is getting harder,” she said.
Ms Hand added that the funding, which expires 30 June, 2026, was due for review on 18 November, although council told PL this was to be confirmed.
“Council recognises the valuable services these groups provide and is in close contact with them and other support groups about the upcoming review,” council said.
The shelter presented its case to councillors on 14 October and Ms Hand said it’s now ‘down to (them) to decide if it is something they value or not.’
Manly MP and shelter patron James Griffin said council should be ‘immensely proud’ of its financial support for the Northern Beaches Women’s Shelter and believed that ratepayers would be ‘overwhelmingly supportive’ of the subsidy.
“Councillors can do the right thing and wholeheartedly support the ongoing financial contribution to the shelter and other local organisations,” Mr Griffin told PL. “The rate rise generated significant revenue for council to do things exactly like this.”
