NSW rape victims and survivors could miss out on $60 million in federal funding for support services.
The state’s victim services have already been excluded from an initial $20 million payment from the Commonwealth, enraging advocates who say the sector is badly underfunded.
NSW will get a total of $80 million under a federal partnership agreement and has yet to receive three-quarters of the money.
Minister Natalie Ward on Wednesday would not guarantee any of the remaining $60 million would be used for rape victim services.
“We’re working through that with the Department of Communities and Justice,” she said.
The federal funding is part of a national partnership agreement on family, domestic and sexual violencxjmtzywe that was announced last year.
When she announced the funding agreement, federal minister Anne Ruston said she expected sexual violence services to be one of the areas covered.
But the NSW government removed any mention of those services when it acknowledged the $20 million payment in a press release.
Officials later confirmed all of the $20 million went to domestic and family violence services.
Ms Ward said sexual violence services were funded through NSW Health.
“We’re always looking at opportunities to partner with frontline services to make sure that we can support the work that they’re doing, which is absolutely critical,” she said.
“And I recognise that there are a number of ways we can do that … Presently the funding stream sits under Health and is funded by the local health districts.
“But I’m always looking as a minister, and it is my expectation that we will always consider opportunities to better fund frontline services. At the moment that stream sits where it does.”
NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard’s office did not respond to questions on whether a funding increase will be considered.
Mr Hazzard had a meeting with one of the organisations delivering rape crisis services on Tuesday.
The Minister will front a budget estimates hearing on Thursday.
