April 27 – The effectiveness of Government programs worth $1.2 billion in taxpayer money are not being properly checked. The amount has been spent on mental health, disability programs and child protection without the State Government assessing if they provide value for money.

Some of the programs date back to the Bracks 1999 government. Among them are post-natal depression support service with is estimated to cost $1.6 million, $320 worth of palliative care services and $733,00 worth of financial counseling for bushfire-affected families.

In one example, Mental Health Minister Lisa Neville was asked about evaluation of $131 million in spending for the Dandenong Adult Mental Health Service Area. The funding is for spending from 1999 to 2008 on acute psychiatric services and mobile intensive treatment. “The impact of the services’ overall funding is not specifically evaluated.

Services are subject to continuous improvement processes and individual client outcomes are measured,” responded the minister.

State Government spokeswoman Gemma Buxton said agencies receiving funds, such as local councils or community welfare groups, were being monitored by the Department of Human Services against specific targets.

The Brumby Government, in response to parliamentary questions from the Opposition, said that 34 programs have not been evaluated.

“How can taxpayers know what’s effective or how service delivery can be improved, if there is no evaluation of these programs?” Says Opposition community services spokeswoman Mary Wooldridge.

Source:
theage.com.au