The People Place chairman Tony Robinson said it was not hard to think the state government was abandoning the Busselton community when it rejected their offer for the Empowering Communities Program.
The People Place has worked with the community for 25 years to cater programs for some 3000 people, including the most isolated members in the community.
Days before Christmas the state government told The People Place they no longer wanted Busselton to have its own community governed centre.
Mr Robinson said they were given three months to complete their tenure and either carry on alone, without funding, or close.
“What happened next was nothing short of bizarre”, he said.
“Just three hours after the announcement we received an email stating the government had directed that existing Community Neighbourhood Development Services (CNDS) service providers that were unsuccessful in the Empowering Communities process would be provided with a further contract extension to their current CNDS service agreement.
“This will enable us to continue operating until 30 June 2020.”
Mr Robinson said since then he had received two communications advising that the department wants to meet with them to explain their assessment.
“They suggest that they do not want the assessment to be misunderstood,” he said.
“I’ve been through our offer and I cannot for the life of me find anything that does not meet their requirements.
“Busselton does not deserve to be without representation and we’ve worked for 25 years with the Community to ensure continuity.
“Working without funding would spell the death knell of the centre.”
Mr Robinson said what amazed him in discussing the assessment with the department was the suggestion that they catered too much for families and children despite the fact that they are the lifeblood of our community.
“Our youth is very well catered for by many other bodies and we have many youths in our programs,” he said.
“The government’s answer is to give Busselton nothing by way of a community service.
“If we do not exist, there will be no community governed centre within 50 kilometres of Busselton. For a population of 36,000 plus, that is truly a disgrace.”
Mr Robinson said towns close to Busselton were getting as much as $45.87 per person to fund community services, while Busselton battled to survive on $1.83
“You can’t come to any other conclusion; the Busselton community is just not a priority for this government.”
Department of Communities acting assistant director Brad Jolly said applications for funding under the Empowering Communities Program were assessed through a competitive open tender process.
“As with most state fovernment tender processes the evaluation of the offer is confidential and cannot be disclosed by the Department of Communities,” he said.
“The Department of Communities can advise that the tender process for the Empowering Communities Program in the South West region was highly competitive among numerous applicants.
Using a ‘per person’ model to compare funding across geographic locations is not a ‘like with like’ comparison: the funding model for the tender was based on a regional allocation, not a ‘per person’ model.”
Vasse MLA Libby Mettam said the way the process had been handled reeked of incompetence and was nothing short of a disgrace that The People Place and staff had been put under this uncertainty.
Ms Mettam said the temporary measure that has been applied to provide a contract extension until June 30, 2020 would again restrict long term planning.
“The community would be severely disadvantaged without The People Place and the broad range of programs they have available, particularly as they are the only support services of its kind in the area,” she said.
“The Minister’s response included a list of the family centres that have been awarded service agreements in the South West which stated she was confident the needs of the community would be met.
“The closest family centres are in Bunbury and considering the community members that are supported by these centres, it is completely outrageous that two centres in Bunbury have received ECP funding and not one in Busselton to also support the adjacent communities.
“For the Minister to suggest that the needs of this community could possibly be met by two centres based in Bunbury, illustrates this government’s complete disregard for the needs of regional WA.”
