It comes after a meeting was held between Councillors Jim Morwitch, Leigh Vaughan, mayor Jan McWilliams, council’s general manager Glenn Handford and Member for Myall Lakes Stephen Bromhead on Friday August 8.

The meeting was called by Councillors to seek clarification about the state government’s Going Home, Staying Home reforms. 

Concerns were raised to Mr Bromhead following the recent takeover of the Taree Women’s Refuge by the Samaritans Foundation and the refuge’s requirement under the reforms to provide accommodation for homeless men and women. 

Following enquiries prior to the meeting, Cr Morwitch said assurances were received from the then Minister of Family and Community Services Prue Goward and the Samaritans Director of Community Services, Rob Dawson as well as Mr Bromhead that the Taree facility will remain open for women and children fleeing domestic violence and that the facility, and others like it, will not be shared with men. 

Mr Bromhead said residents can be rest assured that the Taree Refuge will remain the same. 

“Women escaping domestic violence and homeless men will not be put together. People can be assured that will not happen,” he said. 

“The only thing that has changed there is the provider. The Samaritans are a wonderful organisation.” 

Cr Morwitch said none of the people approached however could define how essential support services will be established and managed at Taree.

“All we received were assurances that plans are being developed in conjunction with the Samaritans from Newcastle and Taree,” he said.

“It appears the Samaritans have not finalised the management and they are in a state of limbo at the moment. 

“Thus it remains that local, well qualified, personnel who are familiar with local situations may or may not be subcontracted by the Samaritans to provide vital support services in the Great Lakes area.”

Because of this uncertainty, Councillors told Mr Bromhead that there is still great concern that  adequate support for local women and children will not be made available for quite some time.   

With no current refuge in the Great Lakes, women and children are being forced to travel to the Taree refuge where there is often no room available. 

Cr Vaughan said there is an obvious need for temporary, emergency accommodation in the Great Lakes and this was put forward to Mr Bromhead during the meeting. 

“We presented a proposition to Steve regarding temporary accommodation here in Forster or Tuncurry to be run by local professional practitioners with local experience as we understand there is government money that could be made available,” Cr Vaughan said. 

“We obviously want to make sure that people in our area are looked after. 

“He agreed (Mr Bromhead) that as soon as the proposal is presented in writing he will not only present it to the minister (of Family and Community Services, Gabrielle Upton) but will, as our local member, pursue the implementation of the funding with “vigour.” 

Mr Bromhead said he intends to take the submission to the new Minister.

“I intend to discuss this with the minister and find out what funding is available,” he said. 

“The mayor and I have been talking about this issue for three years and I think it’s great to see council taking the front foot.”    

If granted, Councillors hope to use the state funding to obtain three units in Forster or Tuncurry and assign the management of the units to the Forster Neighbourhood Centre.