Reports and Submissions
Read the latest reports and submissions from FCVic on a range of topics significant to financial counsellors, consumer advocates and the wider community.
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New Costs to Count: the experiences of financial counsellors working during COVID-19
- Published: 1 December 2020
- Topics: COVID-19, Worker Wellbeing
In September 2020, Financial Counselling Victoria (FCVic) conducted a survey of Victorian financial counsellors to better understand how the sector has changed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The resulting report, New Costs to Count, provides a snapshot of the financial counsellors’ experiences, which shows the complexity of the changes wrought by the pandemic in its first nine months.
The report also considers – in the context of the issues identified in our earlier report (Counting the Costs published January 2020) – how COVID-19 has impacted on the existing levels of work-related stress, and what opportunities there are to introduce more sustainable work practices to minimize the risk of work overload and burnout.
We’ve made recommendations in the New Costs to Count report to enable funding bodies, agency employers and financial counsellors to address the issues identified and create a safer working environment for practitioners.
FCVic Bushfire Recovery Support Project 2020 – Review Report
- Published: 30 November 2020
- Topics: Bushfire Recovery, Disaster Recovery
In response to the 2019-20 Victorian bushfires, FCVic initiated a Bushfire Recovery Support Project to coordinate and assist with the delivery of financial counselling services in bushfire-affected communities. The project was effective in establishing vital links between financial counselling and other recovery support services, and identifying key areas for systemic advocacy.
The full review report, authored by consultants Bev Kliger and Meredith Carter, provides an evaluation of FCVic’s Bushfire Recovery Support Project and includes a series of recommendations to ensure the effective utilisation of financial counselling as part of bushfire recovery response efforts.
Bushfire recovery is a long-term process, with many financial issues emerging over time. The need for financial counselling in affected areas will continue to evolve, and as the report identifies there is a need for FCVic to continue its bushfire recovery support role.
Submission to the Senate Inquiry into the Extension of the Coronavirus Supplement
- Published: 19 November 2020
- Topics: COVID-19, Social Security and Centrelink
In November 2020, the Federal Government announced it would be reducing the Coronavirus Supplement to Jobseeker and other benefits by $100 per fortnight to $150 per fortnight, while extending the reduced Supplement until 31 March 2021. The Government introduced legislation to enable these changes to apply from 1 January 2021.
The legislation was referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Community Affairs for scrutiny, which called for submissions. FCVic made a submission to the Committee, calling for the Supplement to be restored to its original level on a permanent basis.
FCVic was invited to attend a Committee hearing on 25 November to provide evidence. Executive Officer, Dr Sandy Ross, and Centrelink Working Group Convenor, Liz Stary, attended the hearing on behalf of FCVic. At the hearing, Sandy and Liz spoke about the positive impacts experienced as a result of the coronavirus supplement which provided a much-needed lifeline for people to pay for their basic living essentials, bring themselves out of debt, and establish a pathway towards employment. Under the previous payment rate, applying to the old Newstart, people struggled to cover daily expenses on a meagre income that forced them into poverty and, in some cases, at risk of homelessness.
FCVic Annual Report 2019-20
- Published: 14 October 2020
Read the FCVic Annual Report for 2019-20
Submission to the Inquiry into Victoria’s Response to COVID-19
- Published: 7 August 2020
- Topics: COVID-19
FCVic’s submission to the Inquiry into Victoria’s Response to COVID-19 is focused on the specific and looming challenges for the financial counselling sector and its capacity to respond effectively to community needs resulting from the COVID-19 situation.
Financial counsellors are key frontline workers dealing with hardship issues, akin to the role of healthcare workers in the public health frontline with COVID 19. However the scale of hardship coming will dwarf the capacity of a sector in which there are currently only about 250 financial counsellors currently practising in Victoria.
If the looming financial crisis is viewed through a public health lens, it should be clear that planning and preparation needs to begin now, before the crisis hits.
Submission to the Victorian Fines Reform Advisory Board
- Published: 3 February 2020
- Topics: Infringements and Fines
In its submission to the Fines Reform Advisory Board, FCVic drew upon feedback from members, raising concerns with the implementation of the new fines system, and pointing to risks that the new Work and Development Permits (WDPs) will be rendered effectively inaccessible for many of those they are designed to assist.
As noted in the submission, for the WDPs to work as a system in Victoria there needs to be additional investment in financial counselling services, recognising the significant demand issues already being experienced by the financial counselling sector, and also its strategic role in enabling client access to the WDP scheme.