Being the end of financial year, a number of members have been in touch querying indexation and supplementation payments for the DSS and AGD FRS sector programs.
For AGD, supplementation for 2025/2026 is built into baseline program funding – as it was last year. We are yet to learn about indexation to be paid – both in terms of quantum and timing – but we do have a question in with the department.
For DSS, during the Community Sector Advisory Group meeting held on Tuesday this week, it became clear there has been a lot of work going on in the background. While we don’t yet know the rates of indexation or supplementation that will be paid, the department has given a commitment that notices of change will be issued in July/August this year through the Grants Hub with the additional funding flowing shortly thereafter. This is significantly earlier than previous years and we are grateful for the department’s efforts to make this happen.
The departments are of course aware that Fair Work Australia has awarded a 3.5% increase to the minimum award and that a .5% increase in the superannuation levy is also on the horizon. So, we remain hopeful that adequate provision is made to meet these increases.
Through the DSS CSAG, the department has been advancing a number of pieces of work to progress Whole of Government policy objectives in line with the Ways of Working Together Statement and the Not-for-Profit Community Sector Blueprint. These are clearly focused on achieving stronger working relationships with the sector. DSS priorities at the moment include an Outcomes Measurement Plan for the Community Sector Grants Engagement Framework, an APS Shared decision-making Guide, work around improving sufficiency and certainty of funding, and working with the Department of Finance to review and update Grant templates.
As many readers will be aware, DSS has been working with Treasury to find innovative ways to target entrenched community disadvantage through a range of initiatives including a focus on place-based, community led change and the establishment of Partnerships for Local Action and Community Empowerment (PLACE). With over 20 years’ experience in place-based work, our CfC FP network has been keen to engage with the Government’s ‘Supporting Community Change’ initiative. This month we’ve hosted two online Communities for Children FP member only forums to support this engagement flowing on from the CfC FP pre-Conference Workshop. First, in early June the DSS Community Partnerships team sought feedback on their draft APS Shared Decision-making Guide. Earlier this week, Luke Craven CEO of PLACE presented to the network on the work of PLACE and place-based change. Luke was able to share some early reflections of PLACE’s Community Roadshow and Listening Tour and discuss place-based work more broadly with webinar attendees.
During the CSAG meeting earlier this week it was also confirmed the Reconnect program that has been sitting in the Families and Children (FaC) Activity in DSS will be moving across to the Treasury Department – along with all the other DSS Homelessness programs that have moved post-election through Machinery of Government changes. The other big one where that is concerned is that Disability will now sit in the Department of Health and Ageing. The rationale for these changes is not fully known and have not been disclosed at this point in time.
Best wishes to all our readers as we move into 2025-2026.
