‘Extra’ cash for volunteer drivers
The NSW Meals on Wheels association has welcomed extra subsidy money but says it does not go far enough.
Meals on Wheels providers in NSW have welcomed a funding initiative to provide more subsidies for volunteer drivers but they say it does not go far enough.
The state government announced that it would give $6.7 million over 12 months to Meals on Wheels and other HACC providers to help offset rising petrol costs.
But the CEO of the NSW Meals on Wheels Association, Les MacDonald said that while the one-off funding was necessary to maintain current volunteer numbers, it did not provide a long-term solution.
Mr MacDonald said the $6.7 million was drawn from $10 million in service improvement funds allocated at the last state budget.
“It’s not new money,” said Mr MacDonald. “All it has done is loosen the rules about service improvement money to enable these organisations to reimburse those volunteers who use their own cars.”
“Service improvement funding can vary from year to year so we will be facing the same problem again in 12 months time. In the meantime, we will have to keep lobbying for a more permanent solution.”
Mr MacDonald said the money might otherwise have been used for service expansion projects.
The state’s Minister for Ageing and Disability Services, Kristina Keneally said the money would be given to organisations who would decide how the funds would be spent.
“Options which will be available to volunteer organisations include increasing their subsidy to volunteers, or increasing the number of people that they offer a subsidy to,” Ms Keneally said.
There are 32,000 Meals on Wheels volunteers in NSW who deliver 4.5 million meals each year.
