General News
9 September, 2025
Emergency funding for rural communities slashed
Emergency funding for rural communities slashed
It is a devastating blow to the two vital charities in the Wimmera region: the Christian Emergency Food Centre in Horsham, which applies independently to the Department of Social Services for funding, and the Stawell Inter-Church Council Cottage, which applies for DSS funding through Uniting Victoria Tasmania.
These are the only organisations specifically providing food relief across the Wimmera Mallee region through the Federal Government’s Financial Wellbeing and Capability Activity Grant Opportunities program.
Without that funding, they may be forced to rethink how they serve their communities.
Last year, the CEFC received more than $80,000 from DSS, so this recent news will place additional hardship not only on community members in need but the more than 70 volunteers who manage the organisation.
The CEFC was notified by letter that they were not successful, but with little to no clarification.
"In July, the government announced a 25 per cent boost in food relief and financial wellbeing to ease the cost of living pressures for half a million Australians," Ms Miatke said.
"Where is it?"
The Minister for the Department of Social Services, Tanya Plibersek, said when making the announcement, the government would double funding specifically for food.
"We were given no indication that we would not be funded, nor were we given reasons why we were unsuccessful this year," she said.
"Other organisations in the Wimmera received funding, but they are not food specific and send most of their clients to the CEFC for food, so where does that leave the most needy in our community.
"It leaves them with nowhere to go.
"We are reimbursed through Uniting for the assistance we give clients referred to us by the other organisations, so our loss is more than the initial $80,000 plus."
Ms Miatke said she believed there is a lack of understanding about rural communities by the people making the decisions.
"They don't realise that rural communities depend on the minimal number of services available to them.
"The cost of fuel prevents them travelling an hour to Ararat or four hours to Mildura to the nearest funded centres for basic food supplies, and that's only those who have a vehicle because many don't."
The CEFB provides a service to the wider Wimmera Mallee region from Warracknabeal to Edenhope and beyond.
Minister Plibersek said, when announcing the increased food funding in July, that no Australians should face the choice of putting food on the table or paying their bills.
It is this statement that mystifies Ms Miatke.
"That is the decision most of our clients face every day," she said. "And that is why the service CEFC provides is vital," she said.
However, Ms Miatke said she and the volunteers at CEFC will face this challenge with excitement.
"As Christians, we have faith that God wants his people to be cared for, and our clients are God's people, so we will continue to provide for them as well as we can while we look forward with excitement to what He will do," she said.
"There have been times when we have given someone the last item of food we have, and our shelves are bare, and in through the door comes a farmer with a box of egg cartons full of fresh farm eggs.
"This is a kind, generous community," she said.
When hearing of the funding cuts, Horsham Rural City Council mayor Ian Ross said he was disappointed.
"It's a sad day when a government makes cuts that affect the most disadvantaged people in our community," he said.
"This also affects the many volunteers who have worked tirelessly to achieve major outcomes in the community dependent on this vital funding over for decades."
Distance and availability impact the services people can access in rural Victoria, and the loss of funding to the only two charities providing food relief will be hard felt by those doing it tough.
The Stawell Inter-Church Council has been serving the community for 55 years, providing essentials to members of the community who would otherwise lack access to vital support.
This includes emergency relief assistance to those in need in Stawell and the wider region.
They assist with immediate basic needs during times of financial crisis, while maintaining the dignity of those who seek help.
This support includes food aid and a limited number of coupons for supermarkets, chemists, fuel, VLine, second-hand clothing, overnight accommodation, and meals.
They also refer and make appointments to access local community support services.
The Inter-Church Council has been helping those in need in Stawell and the district since 1970 and is staffed by volunteers from the local churches and the Stawell community.
The Commonwealth Government grant, provided through Wimmera Uniting Care, is a major part of the service they offer.
Co-ordinator Mary Rita Thomas said the loss of funding was a major problem for the community.
"This financial year, Uniting Vic Tas' funding for emergency food relief has been cut by 80% and from the end of this month, our Stawell Inter Church Council's Welfare Cottage will have no funding at all," she said.
"We are the sole providers of funded emergency food relief in Stawell and the region, and I find it inconceivable that DSS means for those in need in our area to be unable to access that help."
In the last financial year, the Inter Church Council received DSS funding of $38,000 plus a supplementary payment of $10,500, making a total of $48,500 excluding GST through the MoU with Uniting Vic Tas, Commonwealth Government.
"Last year our total spend on groceries and food shopping vouchers $61,978.31, she said.
Ms Thomas said the council also provided fuel and chemist vouchers totalling $1855.95.
"Now we have no funding to help those in need in Stawell and the region with food relief," she said.
"We will continue to provide for our community, but if this funding is not reinstated, we will eventually have to change how we do things."
As dire as the situation is, Ms Thomas is adamant that the Inter-Church Council will continue to provide for the community.
"Covid didn't stop us, and neither will this. I'm not sure how we'll manage, but we are the only organisation providing these essentials to the people who need them most, and we must continue," she said.
Uniting Vic.Tas Senior Manager Wimmera Louise Netherway gave some background on how the funding is provided and distributed.
"Uniting Vic.Tas lost substantial funding for its emergency relief program under the Federal Government’s Financial Wellbeing and Capability Activity Grant Opportunities program and which impacts the support we give to these two local agencies."
"We greatly appreciate the partnership we have with the CEFC in Horsham and the Interchurch Council in Stawell, and the dedication of their volunteers who share our commitment to the local community.
"The federal grants program is a 5-year contract, so the impact isn't just for the current financial year."
Ms Netherway said she understood the government had provided funding for emergency relief to other not-for-profit organisations in the region.
"However, we are disappointed that Uniting, CEFC and Interchurch Council missed out in this instance."
She said Uniting Vic.Tas would remain committed to delivering emergency relief as a critical point of food and material support, as well as a gateway for vulnerable people to access other key services.
"We believe the government's tender process did not consider our emergency relief model that provides a platform for volunteers to support connection into the community through a face-to-face service for vulnerable people. That includes the support we give other agencies to deliver a localised service," Ms Netherway said.
"Our partnerships provide more than just material aid. They give people the opportunity to connect directly with another person who will listen to their concerns and, where possible, can refer them to other support services such as housing support, mental health or family violence services.
"Uniting Vic.Tas will advocate on behalf of people who need emergency relief services, and we will continue to engage with the government to outline the impact of the changes on our ability to help vulnerable people during a cost-of-living crisis."
The current ER funding contracts are in place until September 30 2025.
The five-year funding model means the two charities will not be funded for the next five years, with no guarantee their applications will be successful for the following five years.
Both organisations receive food and financial aid from their churches and communities, but the federal funding is the basis for their financial sustainability.
However, they are committed to ensuring that the hundreds of households and individuals in need in their communities will not go without.
The extent of the challenges facing these organisations due to the government's funding cuts was highlighted in parliament on Tuesday, with Member for Mallee Dr Anne Webster emphasised the desperate need of rural people facing the cost of living crisis who will be most impacted.
The Department of Social Services spokesperson said that the grants process was an open, competitive round that was highly oversubscribed, but did not clarify why the two Wimmera Mallee charities missed out.