As lockdown continues and with thousands in quarantine, the ACT Government has announced more spending on mental health, crisis and emergency supports, and emergency food relief for Canberrans in need.
“We know that lockdowns are difficult for many Canberra families,” said Chief Minister Andrew Barr. “The Government will continue to do what we can to ensure support is available to those who really need it most during this difficult time for our community.”
The ACT Government will spend:
- $260,000 to extend mental health supports delivered by community sector partners
- $200,000 for crisis and emergency supports including emergency financial aid, domestic and family violence services, disability and carer support and support for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community
In the first week of lockdown, the ACT Government announced it would give VolunteeringACT financial support to provide food and essential items to vulnerable Canberra families. The government will spend another $200,000 for emergency food relief for those in need, taking the total to $450,000.
Information about these extra initiatives is available on the ACT COVID-19 website.
Mr Barr said the measures were in response to advice from the community sector of the demand for mental health and crisis intervention services.
“That’s why we are moving quickly to extend funding to community partners, provide direct relief to members of the community, and boost the capacity of critical community services to meet increases in demand.”
Social services had seen significant increases in demand for community legal services, homelessness services, and emergency food relief services, and there were long waiting times to access food relief, said ACT Council of Social Service (ACTCOSS) CEO Dr Emma Campbell.
Even before the crisis, Dr Campbell said, 38,000 people – including 9,000 children – lived in poverty in the ACT.
“This health and economic emergency will exacerbate their vulnerability,” she said.
ACTCOSS welcomed the measures put in place so far by the ACT Government following the lockdown.
“The Government response has been swift. There is also good communication and engagement with the community sector by the ACT Government and other agencies,” Dr Campbell saids
Anyone who needs support during the lockdown should reach out to community organisations to seek help, urged Emma Davidson, Minister for Community Recovery and Emergency Relief.
“These measures will support positive outcomes for our mental health and wellbeing,” Ms Davidson said.
“Lockdown can be incredibly challenging and presents a number of social and physical barriers for people, particularly Canberrans with disability, older Canberrans, and people experiencing financial hardship. We are all in this together, and through these services, more people who find lockdown challenging will have greater access to support, items and services.”
Food pantries across the city were open and accessible, Dr Campbell said. Details are available here.
She said Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were highly vulnerable to COVID-19 and the economic, health and social impacts of the lockdown, but Canberra’s Aboriginal community controlled organisations and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elected Body (ATSIEB) were doing great work in supporting them.
ACTCOSS was concerned that too many vulnerable people were unable to access vaccinations. They support the letter from ACOSS to the Prime Minister calling for more to be done to vaccinate vulnerable communities.
“Other measures and supports will be required if the lockdown is extended, including protections for tenants such as an eviction moratorium,” Dr Campbell said. “We will closely monitor the situation and engage with our members and the ACT Government.”
