The Hon Dr Jim Chalmers MP
Treasurer
Member for Rankin
The Hon Amanda Rishworth MP
Minister for Social Services
Member for Kingston
The Albanese Labor Government is co-investing alongside philanthropy to develop a national, independent, not-for-profit organisation dedicated to supporting the needs and aspirations of local communities and addressing entrenched disadvantage.
Our Government recognises that there are disadvantaged communities right around Australia where a national approach on its own will never be enough.
This is about listening to and empowering local leaders, working with communities and designing services in a way that meets their bespoke needs.
That's why the Government is investing $19.3 million over five years to establish Partnerships for Local Action and Community Empowerment (PLACE).
This funding will be matched by five philanthropy partners: Minderoo Foundation, Paul Ramsay Foundation, the Ian Potter Foundation, the Bryan Foundation and the Dusseldorp Forum.
PLACE will act as a one-stop shop to identify, support and enhance place-based programs in areas like the early years, youth development, health, education, employment and youth justice.
PLACE will focus on strengthening the capacity of communities to design and deliver these programs, promote evidence sharing, and improve data governance across place-based initiatives.
Hundreds of communities and thousands of Australians are expected to be helped by PLACE's work in its first five years.
Place-based approaches involve government partnering with local communities to develop collaborative, long-term solutions to complex social problems tailored to individual community needs.
Place-based programs in Burnie, Tasmania have helped increase year 12 completion from 56 per cent in 2011 to 86 per cent in 2020, and helped reduce unemployment stemming from youth education and employment connection.
Place-based work in Logan, Queensland over the past decade has helped child vulnerability fall significantly - from about 37 per cent of kids not doing as well as we would like in 2009 down to 29 per cent in the last Australian Early Development Census.
PLACE will provide the forum and practical tools to replicate the successes of these initiatives in more communities and to enhance existing initiatives.
This is the next step in the Albanese Government's efforts to address complex social problems through place-based approaches, building on the $200 million Targeting Entrenched Disadvantage package in the 2023-24 Budget.
This is all about ensuring no Australian is left behind or held back because of where they grew up.
