Sue Moroney
Women’s Affairs Spokesperson

Funding cuts hit Hamilton Women’s’ Refuge at worst time

The Hamilton Women’s Refuge will be struggling to provide its much-needed service over Christmas due to the National Government’s funding cuts, Local Labour MP and spokesperson for Women’s Affairs Sue Moroney said today.

“The refuge is dealing with a $400,000 shortfall and has been forced to slash its workforce. Domestic violence rates escalate over the Christmas period but local refuges have gone from 31 paid staff earlier this year to just 17 and are now relying on former staff to volunteer their time.

“The Government says dealing with family violence is a top priority, but they are letting Hamilton families down badly by forcing these redundancies.”

The situation developed when the National Government scrapped the Pathways to Partnership funding that Labour had committed to community organisations working with vulnerable families.

The Hamilton Women’s Refuge had been receiving $400,000 per year from Government department, Te Puni Kokiri through Te Whakaruruhau. That funding ceased this year, but was to be replaced by the Pathways to Partnership funding.

“The change in Government meant that funding was cut and the Hamilton Women’s Refuge has no option but to lay staff off and get rid of a building they were leasing.

“The work they have been doing has made our community safer but the Government has pulled the rug from under them. They need to find alternative sources of funding quickly, so they can build the service back up. The Government must step in to keep this good work going.”

The staffing issues are so severe that just two people will be on duty over the holiday period to run both residential services and call-outs and volunteers will run the services on Statutory Holidays.

“They have had $130,000 through the Community Response Fund this year to deal with the increasing numbers of referrals, but this goes nowhere near the $400,000 they have lost.”

“I applaud the commitment of redundant staff to come back as volunteers to run this service, but they shouldn’t be put in this position. The Government must act.
The Minister of Social Development, Paula Bennett, needs to work with the Hamilton Women’s Refuge to find a solution,” Sue Moroney said.

ENDS

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