In short:
Nearly half of Tasmanian community service organisations say they've had to cut some of their services due to a shortage of resources and additional financial pressures, according to the Tasmanian Council of Social Service (TasCOSS).
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they → say → Service
TasCOSS has warned that organisations could be forced to cut staff, turn people away and reduce their operating hours if nothing changes.
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nothing → warn → hours
It's calling on the Tasmanian government to review funding agreements to enable community services to keep up with business costs.
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services → call → costs
Nearly half of Tasmania's community support organisations said they've had to cut services due to financial pressures, according to new data from the Tasmanian Council of Social Service (TasCOSS).
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they → say → Service
The 2026 Tasmanian Community Services Pulse Check surveyed more than 100 organisations across the state.
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Check → survey → state
Sixty per cent said they had to turn people away in the last twelve months and more than 80 per cent said they had experienced greater demand for their services despite their resources not increasing.
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resources → say → services
The Tasmanian Council of Social Service (TasCOSS) said, without change, organisations could be forced to cut staff, turn away community, and reduce operating hours.
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organisations → say → hours
The industry wants better indexation to help organisations keep up with business costs, and greater funding to match wage increases.
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organisations → want → increases
Industry 'in crisis', TasCOSS says
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TasCOSS → say → crisis
Up to 94 per cent of respondents said they experienced rising costs, and 58 per cent said funding has decreased in the last year.
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funding → say → year
TasCOSS chief executive officer Paula Wriedt said the community service industry was "in crisis".
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industry → say → crisis
"For some organisations it's food relief, for some it's the most basic of things like housing and the need for people to have a stable roof over their own head,"she said.
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people → have → head,"she
She said state government funding hadn't kept up with service costs.
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funding → say → costs
"There's only so long that that can keep going until there are flow-on effects to our health system, to our justice system, to other parts of government that we may not anticipate," she said.
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she → be → that
According to TasCOSS, community services are one of the largest industries in the state, employing roughly 28,000 people.
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services → accord → people
Ms Wreidt said there needed to be an equitable system of indexation.
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Wreidt → say → indexation
"Three per cent doesn't even match some of the wage increases that have either come in already or are anticipated to come in in the future," she said.
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she → match → future
Services cut for cost reasons
Jordan River Service runs two Neighbourhood Houses in Gagebrook and Bridgewater, and offers a range of services from material support to social connection.
In the last year, chief executive Mel Best said the service had to cut its men's shed and fruit and vegetable box programs in order to stay afloat financially.
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service → cut → programs
It also shortened its opening hours to four days a week.
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It → shorten → days
"This community in particular often loses services.
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community → lose → services
We see transport services, public transport decreasing," she said.
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she → see → ?
"To have community services cut as well just seems like adding insult to injury."
Program coordinator Kylie Truswell said having to tell people that services were unavailable was tough.
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services → cut → people
"It's not a nice feeling; you don't want to turn anyone away or refuse to be able to provide food," she said.
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she → want → food
We have a lot of people come in, and they'll come in looking for food relief, free items.
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they → have → relief
It's pretty bad when you point out that there's frozen meals for $6.50, but they can't afford to buy one."
Funding levels to be reviewed by 2028
A spokesperson said the Tasmanian government "understand that costs are rising, which is exactly why the latest state budget invested more than $650 million into community organisations across Tasmania".
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budget → point → Tasmania
"This includes $4.8 million for TasCOSS, $55 million for Neighbourhood Houses, $7.1 million for food security providers and much more.
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This → include → providers
"There is a near $600 million investment into housing and homelessness services to put a roof over Tasmanians' heads when they need it most, and $235.4 million is available for electricity concessions.
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million → be → concessions
"
The spokesperson said the government was "working with the sector to progress longer-term funding agreements, and we are committed to reviewing the level of indexation to provide certainty, in 2027-28".
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we → say → 2027
The Labor Opposition has called on the government to provide a sustainable funding model for community services.
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Opposition → call → services
"Every dollar the government fails to invest early will turn up later, and at far greater cost.
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government → fail → cost
In child safety, hospitals, homelessness services, police stations and the justice system," community services shadow minister Jess Greene said.
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Greene → say → safety
The Greens and Franklin Independent MP Peter George have also criticised the government.
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Greens → criticise → government
The Aporia