Women’s Centre a huge win

THE State Government’s decision to fund a new Townsville Women’s Centre is great news for the city and a proof that people still can make a difference. In March this year the

began covering the plight of the existing Women’s Centre in Aitkenvale which was totally unsuitable for its needs.

The 18 staff members at the converted house in Patrick St have been putting up with leaking roofs, mouldy walls and pest infestations for years.

The Women’s Centre plays a vital role offering support to North Queensland victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.

Supporters of the centre have been working to get a new building for nearly a decade through fundraising and lobbying all tiers of government.

However, the amount of money raised by the Sky Foundation fell way short of the amount needed to build a new centre.

A petition lobbying for funding support for a new building from the State Government, which was promoted through stories in the attracted nearly 18,000 signatures.

It has now been revealed the State Government will contribute up to $ 3.2 million to ensure a new facility is built.

It is a great outcome and all those involved in its achievement deserve commendation.

There was a real risk the centre would have closed if there was no funding commitment.

The bare statistics confirm the important role the centre plays.

Over its 33 years of operation, the Women’s Centre staff have assisted more than 350,000 people.

Unfortunately, demand for the centre’s service are continuing to grow.

About 10,000 people, including children, visit the centre every year to access support and its Sexual Assault Response Team responds to a victim every three days, on average.

It will be a huge relief for the centre's staff and its supporters to know their future is assured.