In a fuel security crunch, community services must not be an afterthought

As the uncertainty of fuel security continues to escalate, community sector organisations are doing what they always do –  adapting quickly, stretching limited resources and staying focused on the people who need them most.

At NCOSS’s recent State Peaks forum, representatives from across the social services sector described a situation that is escalating fast. Volatile fuel prices, disrupted supply chains, and growing uncertainty are creating serious pressure for services and for the communities they support.

But the most important thing to say at the outset is: our sector is responding. Social and community service organisations are drawing on lessons from COVID, reviewing business continuity plans, shifting to virtual delivery where possible, and working together to share intelligence and coordinate advocacy. While there is real concern, there is also real capability to deal with the increasingly compounding pressures.

We have heard clear examples from across the sector. People are struggling to get to medical appointments and specialist care. Carers are under more pressure. Outreach and mobile services across aged care, disability, in-home care (to name a few) are becoming harder to sustain. There’s growing isolation and mental health concerns. In some remote communities that rely heavily on diesel, the consequences are far more severe, affecting access to clinics, food, medicines and even the school run.

This is why social and community services cannot be treated as peripheral in the government’s response. They are essential.

The sector has warned for years that many services are operating without enough flexibility or margin to absorb shocks. Chronic underfunding, historically inadequate indexation, and rigid contracts have left organisations vulnerable to exactly this kind of disruption. Organisations are already operating from behind the starting line. And now fuel is the immediate pressure point – but it’s not the underlying problem.

There are practical steps that can and should be taken now. Frontline services need surge funding to maintain continuity of support. Contracts need flexibility so organisations can respond to rapidly changing conditions without being penalised for missing outdated delivery targets or tied up in red tape. Social and community sector workers must be recognised as essential workers, particularly if fuel access tightens further. And any government response must prioritise regional, remote and First Nations communities, where the risks are most acute.

We also need support directed to households already doing it hardest. Emergency relief, transport assistance and targeted payments will all matter if this crisis continues to escalate. The people most affected do not have spare capacity in their budgets to absorb another price shock.

Our role is to make sure governments at all levels hear clearly and consistently from across our sector. We are coordinating intelligence, aligning advocacy and pushing for a response that reflects what services and communities are actually experiencing on the ground and the support needed to keep the lights on.

The message from our members is consistent – this is serious, the risks are unevenly shared, and waiting will make the damage worse.

In every crisis situation, our organisations help to keep people safe, connected and supported. They reduce pressure on other parts of the system and are the glue that holds communities together when life starts falling apart. They should not be left to absorb the impact of this escalating fuel security  situation alone.