Overall 1998/99 funding levels were increased from the previous year with TAS' Rental Accommodation Fund (RAF) grant increasing to $230,000 from $200,000. This fund is generated from the interest that accrues on tenants' bond monies, which has been collected by the State Government since the inception of the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA) in 1989. The funds were administered through the Ministry of Fair Trading (MFT).
Funding under this Program was somewhat uncertain during the year with funds only granted initially until December 1998 in anticipation of the new funding model commencing in January 1999. Delays to the new model led to TAS' funds being extended to the end of June 1999 and then for another month pending the award of successful tenders.
TAS was also required to competitively tender under the new Rental Accommodation Fund Program. Whilst TAS' tender was successful, delays in the process and the uncertainty of whether TAS would be successful in its bid created enormous instability for the service and its workers in terms of our continued operations.
TAS intends to raise concerns about the process and its timing in 1999/00 to avoid a recurrence of this situation.
TAS also received ongoing funding of nearly $110,000 from the Commonwealth Office of Legal Aid and Family Services (LAFS) through the Commonwealth Community Legal Centre Program. These funds were administered through the Legal Aid WA office in Perth.
Whilst a significant component of TAS' resource base, funds from the Commonwealth have declined in real terms over the last few years. This, combined with more onerous funding agreements, more complex management requirements, sustained and growing demand for services (particularly in light of funding cuts to Legal Aid which have impacted significantly on civil matters such as tenancy), impacts heavily on TAS and its ability to meet the need for tenancy services.
TAS also received a grant from the Lotteries Commission from its Promoting Excellence Program to enable it to attain Registered Training Organisation status and accredit its short course "Tenancy Law for Community Workers". These funds were spent and acquitted in 1998/99.
The ongoing accountability requirements to our funding bodies continued to be a drain on TAS's resources. These include: quarterly reports as a funding condition of both major funding bodies; annual funding submissions with detailed projected annual strategic plans; increased data collection and evaluation requirements; and the ordinary accountability requirements for an Incorporated Association, such as regular meetings, audited financial records and an Annual report.
TAS has sought to address this in part by developing improved systems for data collection and reporting services evaluation and documentation. However, as for previous years, additional funds for administrative support are needed to enable TAS to deal effectively with the expansion of the service and to meet the additional reporting requirements.