Asthma Foundation NT funding down nearly 80 per cent

Asthma Foundation NT’s funding is being reduced in a move its chairman says is a ‘slap in the face’. We reveal how people with asthma will be impacted.

Asthma Foundation NT’s funding has been reduced by almost 80 per cent.

Asthmatic Territorians have been left with a drastically depleted support network after a major service provider was subject to funding cuts.

Asthma Foundation NT chairman Ian Crundall said the organisation’s budget was reduced from about $160k to $42k by Asthma Australia.

Mr Crundall said the cut meant there was a significant reduction in support for regional and remote communities.

“Visits outside of Darwin to see clients and to provide training and education are now rare,” he said.

“Those Territorians are now denied access to services that most other people in the Territory and across the country (can access).”

Mr Crundall said there were also increased fees and reduced accessibility as staffing hours were reduced.

“Similarly, capacity to conduct community-based events and programs has been limited so there is less opportunity to attend shopping centres and schools and public occasions to raise awareness of asthma,” he said.

In the 2017-18 financial year, the Australian Bureau of Statistics found 7.4 per cent of Territorians had asthma.

Funding cuts to Asthma Foundation NT means the organisation will have fewer opportunities to raise awareness for asthma and support asthmatic Territorians. Picture: Asthma Foundation NT/Facebook

Mr Crundall said the nearly 80 per cent decrease in funding was also driving an emotional toll on the community.

“Despite AFNT being regularly praised for the work done, this de-funding without notice or clear rationale leaves a strong sense of being ‘second rate’ and ‘unworthy’,” he said.

“For an organisation that is dependent on volunteers, community goodwill and a small but dedicated staff that are always prepared to do that little bit extra for the sake of the clients, the implication of not being able to secure $150k out of $2.1m is a slap in the face.”

Mr Crundall believed the decrease was “due to Asthma Australia deciding that funding NT services is not a priority”.

“AA (Asthma Australia) recognises the success of AFNT and says it is the ‘expert’ on service needs and delivery in the Territory,” he said.

“However, when we provide advice or outline what the Territory would most benefit from that expertise is often ignored.”

Mr Crundall said Territorians impacted by asthma were still the priority for AFNT, but expressed concern about the organisation’s “depleted” reserves.

“AFNT has retained the best suite of services it can to date, but that has come at costs that cannot continue to be borne,” he said.

“Those services can only be squeezed so much.”

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