Ms ROSOL – Yesterday in minister Street’s hearing we heard that the community support levy has $1.23 million unspent in the bank. I know that Mr Street is responsible for the CSL, but while the community sector is desperate for funds, particularly those who are dealing with the fallout from policies – how is this money unspent? Did you lobby for these funds to be allocated to community services? If not, why not? There’s money that’s available there that could be used for community services. Did you lobby in any way for that?
Mr JAENSCH – There was a range of priorities put forward in our election process and through our budget process as well, many of which I listed at the opening of this session today. That’s what we’re able to secure from the budget process. In terms of what funds remain in areas that other ministers are responsible for, that’s a matter for them. I’ll continue to advocate for the sector I’m responsible for to secure budget for what we need.
Ms ROSOL – Are you saying that, given there’s that desperate need for funding in the community sector, that money is available there, the $1.23 million as a result of that levy? Are you saying you will lobby for that on behalf of Community Services?
Mr JAENSCH – That’s funding which is gathered through a levy and held for specific purposes, whether it’s been fully expended through existing grant rounds and programs, or whether it is being held over for the next grant random process. Certainly, we will be encouraging organisations and putting forward submissions of our own to make sure it’s put to good use, within the guidelines and the purpose it’s collected for.
Ms ROSOL – I just wanted to come back to the Community Support Levy, that’s the levy collected from the gambling industry and 25 per cent of it is for the benefit of charitable organisations. That would potentially be community service organisations who are providing support to people who are affected by gambling addictions and we know that they’re struggling to meet the need.
That $1.23 million sitting there, gathered by that levy not allocated to any funds, are you involved in any way in the decision making around how that community benefit the charitable organisations as it’s called money is allocated. Do you have any role in that?
Mr JAENSCH – We know the levy and it’s played an important role in our community services sector each year. We do note that from July 2023 we doubled the funding available through the Community Support Fund to deliver services to support people impacted by gambling, education programs to help Tasmanians make informed decisions about gambling, community grants programs to deliver local responses to gambling and research projects to inform support and education directions. There is a funding request process through which CSF funding is available to government agencies which the Treasurer approves based on recommendations provided by the Tasmanian Liquor and Gaming Commission.
I understand in the past that there has been significant funds delivered through Neighbourhood Houses Tasmania’s engagement. This year $1.5 million in that category, also scheduled for next year as well, so definitely, if there’s a reserve of funds there, there is a process to make it available and we’ll be making application for that in my portfolio area.
Can I just highlight that in 2023-24 Community Support Fund Grants Program recipients included Anglicare, Burnie Community House, Georgetown Neighbourhood House, Huon Valley Police and Citizens Club, Live Well Tasmania, and Rokeby Neighbourhood Centre. Small grants went to a long list of organisations which I’m sure you won’t want me to read all in, but it’s one of the sources of grants for community services organisations. I expect that it’ll continue to be available to them.
Ms ROSOL – Given there’s $1.23 million sitting there unused and there are processes available, will you use those processes to seek funding for services?
Mr JAENSCH – It’s not clear to me that when you’re referring to the amount that’s available, if it is an amount that is due to be expended through large and small grant programs and government internal applications. I don’t think that unspent funds in that levy are returned to Treasury for general revenue use. I expect that they’re held for that specific purpose they were collected for. That’s how levies tend to work.
There are grants programs that the community has access to and internally across government we can make application for.
Ms ROSOL – That’s interesting because yesterday minister Street said it’s just sitting there; it’s a surplus. So, it’s available and could be used. Will you know that it’s there, follow up on that and seek some funding from that?
Mr JAENSCH – I’ll definitely follow that up with him, but as a levy that’s collected from the public for a particular purpose, if there is a balance in an account, there are rules about how it’s used and there are processes through which application can be made and decisions are made about it. I’d expect that those rules would continue to apply and we need to make sure that that money is working for the purposes it was collected for?
