NT COMMIT parole program receives last minute funding extension

CRITICAL drug and alcohol services that support people on parole in the NT will stay open for at least three more months, with the government extending funding until March next year

CRITICAL drug and alcohol services that support people on parole in the NT will stay open for at least three more months, with the government extending funding until March next year.

The COMMIT parole program, worth $2.1m, funds 25 beds across five residential facilities along with counselling support in Darwin, Alice Springs and Tennant Creek.

Revelations earlier this week that funding for the program had not been renewed past the December 31 expiry date caused uproar, including from the head of NT’s parole board.

MORE ESTIMATES NEWS

NT Health undertaking major internal restructure to ‘integrate’ services

State Square underground car park project about $7 million over original budget

Three senior NT bureaucrats’ trip to Texas in 2020 cost taxpayers nearly $50,000

But in budget estimates on Wednesday Attorney-General Selena Uibo revealed funding had been extended to March 2021, to allow the program to be considered as part of the budget process.

“Because of the unfortunate timing of this year and urgent areas being addressed and then looking at what’s happened with some of our programs, with having the extensions ceasing at a very strange time, normally it would be in line with the financial year,” she said.

OFFER EXTENDED: Amazing NT News subscription offer: Read everything for $1

“We’ll look to put that program through the budget cycle, the normal budget process, early next year.

“I can’t say what’s going to happen in the budget cycle process but the extension will be able to provide certainty till the 31st of March.”