Mission Australia was announced as the winning tenderer for the Bega Valley Homelessness Support Service, which everyone - aside from it appears those preparing the contract for tender – knew included a refuge for women and children.

The community angst over what was being touted as a potential closure of the service was fuelled by political point-scoring from both sides, eventually resulting in this week’s rally of supporters outside the refuge itself as well as Andrew Constance’s office.

Meanwhile, the vulnerable members of our community desperately in need of refuge from domestic violence were reportedly being turned away amid the uncertainty.

Mr Constance is accusing Labor of spreading “outrageous and dangerous lies”, while Labor candidate for the Bega electorate Leanne Atikinson is on record saying the government is focusing more on the budget bottom line than “social capital”.

Mission seems caught in the middle – the successful tenderer for the homelessness service, hoping to consolidate all of Bega’s support networks under the one banner and get on with the job of assisting those in our community most at risk?

Is there a winner in all this?

The BDN has received letters to the editor from Andrew Constance (click here) as well as from convenor of the Bega Valley Domestic and Sexual Violence Committee Gabrielle Powell (click here).

Have your own say by emailing me on ben.smyth@fairfaxmedia.com.au.

RELATED COVERAGE