New and expanded budget and debt counselling services are being provided across the State to help families on low incomes and in crisis.
Community Development and Family Minister Eric Ripper said today $250,000 had been provided this year, to create five new services and to substantially upgrade seven others.
The money was part of the extra $1 million allocated in the Government's Social Advantage package for expanded budget and debt counselling services over the next four years.
Mr Ripper said financial counselling services helped people with budgeting advice, re-negotiated debts, or provided advocates to negotiate with creditors about debt repayment.
In 1990-91 Government-funded counsellors carried out debt negotiation in about 2,800 cases, provided advice in 1,500 cases and provided information on Department of Social Security and State Government concessions entitlements on 2,200 occasions.
Under the poverty program of the Department for Community Development (formed by the amalgamation of the old Department for Community Services and the former Office of the Family), 17 financial counselling services were currently funded through non-Government agencies.
Mr Ripper said all the existing services would receive increased funding, together with the expanded and new services.
Newly funded services were the:
· Lockridge Community Group;
· Midland Debt Counselling Service;
· Armadale Information and Referral Service.
Two new services would also be created by the Department for Community Development in Mandurah and by the Department's Port Hedland Office, based somewhere yet to be decided in the North of the State.
Significantly expanded services were the:
· Sussex Street Community Law Service, East Victoria Park;
· Communicare, Cannington;
· Gosnells District Information Service;
· Belmont Community Advice Service;
· City of Stirling Financial Counselling Service;
· Salvation Army, Balga;
· Collie Welfare Council (Anglicare).
The Minister said the boost to budget and debt counselling came on top of the $170 million in Government concessions provided in the last financial year on the cost of electricity, gas, water, rates, transport and other essentials.
More than $5 million was also paid out in emergency financial assistance to people in crisis making Western Australia one of the most generous States in the country in this area.
"This Government is all about helping those most in need and is determined to provide help where it is most effective in these tight financial times," the Minister said.
