Peter Dover from Salt Ministries is ‘exhausted’ after pleading for funding for months

A south coast homeless hub is continuing to plead for urgent funding, with the chief executive saying he is ‘exhausted’.

Salt CEO and founder, Peter Dover, said he was 'exhausted' and tired of asking for money. Picture: Tom McGann.

The owner of a south coast homeless service has described himself as “exhausted” after months of pleading for urgent money in “election games”.

“Its sad that it’s an election issue and this is the game I’ve got to play, but I will do what I have to do,” Peter Dover, chief executive of Salt Ministries in Nowra said.

Salt Ministries runs the ‘Safe Shelter Homeless Service’, a homeless hub which has helped countless people in the community.

The privately run organisation has been on the brink of closure for months, however, Mr Dover feels it only becomes a public issue during the election season.

“Politicians were talking about this in last year’s federal election and now they’re talking about it during this state election,” he said.

Pleading local, state and federal government for funding, the pleas seem to be falling on deaf ears.

“I’m exhausted”, Mr Dover said.

The homeless hub, which currently houses several people, costs $20,000 a month to run, with the funding going toward wages, food and maintaining the hub itself.

However, without any funding from the government, the hub which has helped so many will have to close.

“It shouldn’t be this hard, this is such an easy solution,” Mr Dover said.

Peter Dover addressing the media with Labor South Coast candidate, Liza Butler. Picture: Tom McGann.

On January 31, 2023, money had completely run out for the hub, however emergency $80,000 funding from the NSW Government will keep the doors open a little longer.

“I’m so grateful to have this $80,000, but without proper substantial funding, we will still have to close,” Mr Dover said.

Mr Dover signed the documents for the emergency funding at 9pm the same night.

“We should get it sometime late this week,” he said.

Community organisations around the Shoalhaven and local council came together in 2021 to donate various amounts of money to reopen the shelter after it had to temporarily close due to a lack of funding.

The donated funds pushed the shelter to January 2023, however the prospect of closure remained.

“I want to help the people who use this hub, but right now, I’m just trying to keep the doors open,” Mr Dover said.

The South Coast News asked Liberal candidate for the South Coast, Luke Sikora, and Gilmore federal Labor MP, Fiona Phillips, as to why Mr Dover has not received the needed, substantial funding yet.

“When receiving government funding, there are processes which need to be followed, including assessment by the relevant departments,” Mr Sikora said.

Meanwhile, Mrs Phillips said funding the Nowra Safe Shelter Homeless service was a job for the state government.

“The Australian Government provides the NSW Government with millions of dollars in homelessness funding under the National Housing and Homelessness agreement – but on ground delivery is the job of the NSW Government,” she said.

Despite this, Mr Dover said he was optimistic for the future of his homeless hub.

When asked whether he believes the homeless service will eventually get the funding he has been urgently requesting for too long, he said one thing: “I sure hope so.”