Newsletter item – Shelter Tas, 20 February 2022
Discontinued Equal Remuneration Order Funding Means Cuts to Homelessness Services
Shelter Tas is highly concerned to learn that the Commonwealth Government intends to stop funding their share of the Equal Remuneration Order (ERO). This is a $2 million cut to the wages of specialist homelessness support workers in Tasmania and over $65 million nationally.
Shelter Tas has signed on to the letter headed by our national colleagues – Homelessness Australia, National Shelter, the Community Housing Industry Association (CHIA) and ACOSS – urging the Commonwealth to continue paying their share of ERO funding to homelessness services, which is scheduled to cease on 1 July 2023.
The ERO was created in 2012 to increase rates of pay for the community sector workforce, and the Commonwealth Government has provided funding to cover the increase in wage costs faced by community service organisations. With an ever-increasing demand for homelessness services and the potential of a significant funding shortfall – it is critical that this arrangement is reinstated.
Take Action!
Please add your support by signing the letter linked here, and see below for more information from Homelessness Australia. We’ll keep you informed of any developments, or you can go to HA’s website to find out more from them directly.
