The impacts included issues with accuracy of information, centralising decision making, and how planned engagement activities were left unfinished, which affected relationships between Department of Family and Community Services (FACS), the homelessness services, clients and the community. 

Also, FACS staff reported working long hours and experiencing high levels of stress to attempt to meet their deadlines and the sector’s staff reported having to deal with stress associated with the tender process. 

The KPMG Going Home Staying Home Post-Implementation Review found by meeting the timeframe FACS had in which to implement the reforms, the later stages of the process were compressed, leading to adverse impacts. 

Member for Bega Andrew Constance said while the report “acknowledges there were shortcomings in the way the reforms were handled”, the reforms have delivered benefits for people either homeless or at risk of homelessness. 

“The report also acknowledges there were shortcomings in the way the reforms were handled and the government must do better to manage those reforms and our relationship with those who deliver services on the ground,” Mr Constance said.  

“Other shortcomings included that the time for service planning and tendering was insufficient given the scale of change and the sector’s unfamiliarity with competitive tendering.” 

The Greens MP and spokeswoman for the Status of Women Mehreen Faruqi, who has called for a parliamentary inquiry into GHSH, said the KPMG report showed no data on what the impact of the reforms was on the community.

“What the report does show is that the whole process was rushed and non-transparent and added unrealistic workloads to service providers to complete tenders in tight timeframes over the Christmas period,” Dr Faruqi said.  

“Within FACS itself there was a staffing freeze and an overreliance on consultants.

“But the problems in FACS dwarf the problems we have heard on the ground from Bega to Ballina about loss of funding and staff and the risks this is creating for victims of domestic violence.

“For the government to finally release the report so quietly and hidden away on their website is unacceptable,” Dr Faruqi said.  

Mr Constance said the reforms sought to invigorate service providers to be innovative and flexible in their approach to service delivery.

“KPMG’s Post-Implementation Review confirms that the procurement process was carried out appropriately, that the reforms were evidence based and that since they were implemented there is an increased focus on integrating services and early intervention,” Mr Constance said.

“On the ground, feedback from service providers 12 months on is that the reforms are allowing them to deliver services in ways they previously didn’t think possible. 

“The ‘no wrong door’ policy, for example, is helping service providers better connect with each other in their local communities, in turn producing better outcomes for clients.”

He said the “no wrong door” policy was where clients were able to access and be assessed by any service and either supported through the service or connected with another appropriate service.