This week Carers NSW released our 2022-23 Pre-Budget Submission: Caring through times of change. Following consultation with carers and other key stakeholders, the Pre-Budget Submission asks for ongoing commitment from the NSW Government to carer recognition and support in the 2022-23 State Budget.
Following an unprecedented period of change in 2020, 2021 has continued to bring a number of challenges to the people of NSW. Carers have been among the many NSW residents who continue to be adversely affected by natural disasters and the COVID-19 pandemic, and are experiencing significant associated emotional and financial impacts.
As we celebrate the fact that carers in NSW have now had access to a dedicated Federal service system – Carer Gateway – and the 10-year NSW Carers Strategy: Caring in NSW 2020 – 2030 for more than a year, Carers NSW seeks to draw on learnings from the many challenges and changes of the 2020-21 and 2021-22 financial years to inform Government expenditure into 2022-23.
In the next State Budget, Carers NSW urges the NSW Government to provide additional investment to support the 854,300 carers across NSW who have demonstrated considerable resilience through recent times of change through a series of practical recommendations for how the NSW Government can:
- Continue to champion carer recognition
- Include carers in mainstream services
- Build carer capacity
- Improve carers’ financial security
