Report highlights major disadvantage

There has been a hive of activity at Neerim South with the Neerim district food relief team and local men’s shed members joining forces to prepare help packages to be home delivered to people isolated due to COVID-19.

A fleet of cars dropped off goods for the volunteers to assembled into the packages that were distributed throughout the district.

Food relief’s Judy Gleeson said Brendan O’Brien from the Neerim district Community Bendigo Bank also dropped in to hand over some cheques to help fund the project.

Ms Gleeson has particularly grateful for the men’s shed members.

“They are always there when the heavy lifting starts,” she said.

A study released last week into disadvantage many Gippsland people face highlights issues with access to transport, housing, isolation, mental health services, inclusion through sport, cost of living pressures and food insecurity.

The report by Catholic Social Services Victoria reflects problems raised in discussions with those that work with people that suffer disadvantage and isolation, including a consultation session at Warragul last year.

Although the western peri-urban area that includes Baw Baw Shire - one of three sub-regions in Gippsland along with Latrobe and East Gippsland – the report said despite greater population growth, higher household income, better access to services there were major disadvantages.

It particularly noted inadequate public transport, especially between Warragul and Drouin; housing and accommodation standards and costs, cost of living and food insecurity relating to the western Gippsland area.

A caravan park in Baw Baw shire was said to charge $210 a week for rent, $170 for a bottle of gas and issue regular electricity bills.

Public buses services between Warragul and Drouin were cited as an example where a lack of co-ordination with train services and business hours impacted getting to work and education and should be extended.

The report advanced a number of recommendations to improve main the areas of disadvantage identified.

Regarding transport it advocated more frequent bus services particularly between Warragul and Drouin, better co-ordinations of bus and train services and improved access to transport information for those needing to attend appointments.

The CSSV also wants more social housing across Gippsland, private rental housing made more affordable and landlord given incentives to improve sub-standard housing and more housing for women and children leaving domestic violence.

It claimed that there were many women and children living in cars throughout Gippsland.

Older and socially isolated people should be given better access to, and education about, digital communications while greater funding was needed for infrastructure and services that address mental health and drug and alcohol issues.

Cost of living and food insecurity pressures required an increase in the New Start allowance and more financial counsellors throughout the region, and more funding provided for sporting facilities and programs that increase access of young people to sport.

The report said costs of participating excluded many young people from joining sporting clubs.

CEO of Catholic Care Netty Horton said many gaps had been identified in services and infrastructure needed in Gippsland to access things like education, employment, health and social services.

These had been compounded by bushfires early in the year and the ongoing economic impacts of COVID-19.

Ms Horton said in the Warragul region specific issues identified were long distances required to travel, limited and costly public transport options, the high cost of having a car, housing instability and “expensive, sub-standard and often unsafe” private rental accommodation.