Dear Andrew Constance MP
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I want to be clear this is not a Labor scare campaign and it should definitely not be focused on a Labor-Liberal political debate.
This is not about unsuccessful services being disappointed.
This is about local services, local people and domestic violence, which is a part of today’s society.
This is a community campaign, it is local people organising the Bega response to this process, writing letters and organising gatherings of concerned people.
This campaign is about a flawed tender process and that women and children could be unsafe if inexperienced services are running women's refuges.
It's important you know the Bega Women's Refuge wasn't set up as a homeless service, and women's refuges aren't responsible for the rising percentage of homelessness.
Women's refuges were set up to provide refuge for women and children from violence and abuse.
They were set up by communities (usually by local women), to address the needs that were evident and which were not being properly addressed by government.
Buildings were fought for, squatted in, and funds were raised for bricks and mortar and furnishings.
Women's refuges have provided a safe women-only environment for women to feel secure and to rebuild their lives.
I am seeking the truth in this process.
I note you have admitted there was an omission in the tender documents in regard to the Bega refuge.
I feel as a concerned community member that this admission means there is a tender flaw and that some information was missing.
I do not believe the Going Home Staying Home reforms will protect the Bega Women's Refuge and keep it open and functional as a 24/7 crisis venue.
The network of effective, safe, women-only services across NSW has been decimated.
Bega Women's Refuge and its Eden outreach service are definitely closing in their current form.
The community has not been informed what the new look refuge service will entail.
Unfortunately the government is demonstrating an extraordinary lack of understanding for the needs of women and children and the time-proven, best practice model women's refuges hold sacrosanct.
The GHSH process has been flawed and I believe the smooth transition for clients is not happening.
SEWACS is in the process of moving out of the refuge building after being de-funded and, due to this, clients have not able to stay since early July.
In fact there are no women and children staying at the refuge at this time.
Please note the quiet gathering of people did not put women and children at risk by expressing our concerns in holding a rally in the street and mainly out the front of your office.
This has been a flawed tender process with inadequate community consultation, lack of representation on the needs of women and children escaping domestic violence and not a successful outcome.
I do not want this flawed process to ever occur again.
I hope we are learning something through this process and some good will come of it.
Please stop trying to tell communities the tenders and the reform are successful.
Stop blaming Labor and shifting it to a political debate.
Please listen to the Bega communities concerns and the genuine concern across communities for the likely ramifications.
Gabrielle Powell
Coordinator of Women's Resource Centre Bega
Convenor of Bega Valley Domestic and Sexual Violence Committee