The Albanese Labor Government is strengthening its commitment to financial counselling announcing more than $1.7 million in funding to further support capability and capacity building at today’s Financial Counselling Australia (FCA) National Conference.
The funding includes a $1.2 million extension for the National Debt Helpline (NDH) Appointment Booking system to link clients up with face-to-face counselling services, and $550,000 for FCA to support the development of an outcomes framework and a data strategy.
Financial counsellors play a vital role helping Australians in financial difficulty by providing free, independent, and confidential advice on ways to manage debts and make informed choices about their money.
Minister for Social Services, Amanda Rishworth said this additional funding will improve the overall accessibility of financial counselling by helping people get in touch with counsellors as quickly as possible.
“When someone is reaching out for help, we want to ensure that they are supported in a timely manner, and are not having to unnecessarily re-explain their situations when seeking help,” Minister Rishworth said.
The NDH Appointment Booking system simplifies the booking process for clients, with an NDH organisation triaging clients and booking an appointment on their behalf.
The system, which has been trialled in Western Australia, will be expanded through WA, the Northern Territory and South Australia.
The funding will also support preliminary development of rollout to the eastern states.
“We want to do everything we can to create better access for those experiencing financial hardship, including improving accessibility and national coordination between financial counselling organisations,” Minister Rishworth said.
More information on financial counselling is available on the Department of Social Services website.