Union wrong again

Another day, another scare, another day, another false claim by union leaders.

The CPSU’s Tom Lynch has gone to new depths today in trying to politicize the tripartite whole of Government response to family violence.

The facts, which you won’t hear from Mr Lynch are these:

• The statewide Family Violence Counselling and Support Service remains funded for 25 full-time equivalent staff, as they were under the previous government.
• There has been no reduction to the funded full time equivalents for the service.
• An analysis of the actual paid FTE for the service over the last few years shows the Department has been meeting that commitment.
• In 2013-14, the average paid FTE was 24.95 across the year and in 2014-15, the average paid FTE was 24.80.
• In 2015-16, the average paid FTE has actually been in excess of 26FTE – more than 1FTE above the approved staffing establishment, so the Service has actually been working with an extra FTE.
• In respect of the North West Family Violence Counselling Support Services, the team has a funded establishment of 6.1FTE.
• DHHS also does recruit for positions when vacancies arise.

There has long been a historic wait list for counselling. That is why we announced as part of the nearly $26 million Family Violence Action Plan, Safe Homes, Safe Families, that we will extend counselling services for children and young people experiencing family violence with $3 million to provide additional counselling sessions. This will provide for up to an additional 10 full-time equivalent counsellors and will be delivered in partnership with non-government organisations.

We also announced that we will also provide improved access to timely, dedicated counselling services for adults experiencing family violence with a $1 million commitment to support groups within our community who are at higher risk. This includes women with disabilities, women in culturally and linguistically diverse communities, and indigenous women.

It’s time the pseudo opposition, the union movement were called to account for their deliberately misleading claims.

It’s also time the union movement got behind the Hodgman Liberal Government nation leading family violence action plan of nearly an additional $26 million.
Jacquie Petrusma, Minister for Human Services