Charities protest vetting costs

Waipuna Hospice chief executive Richard Thurlow said paying for volunteers to be police- checked would add to a growing list of compliance costs. Photo / John Borren

Tauranga charities are concerned a proposed charge on criminal checks for their volunteers will take money away from their essential services and put them under more financial stress.

Organisations would need to find another $5 to $7 per volunteer for police vetting if the law change went through, which would allow the Government to charge for police services.

A parliamentary select committee began hearing submissions last week on the law change. Tauranga's Waipuna Hospice chief executive Richard Thurlow said with about 100 new volunteers a year and a total of 700, the potential change was "a big concern".

"It doesn't sound a lot but its just another $700 we have to find a year," he said.

The Bay of Plenty District Health Board provided 56 per cent of the hospice's funding and the other 44 per cent came from the community through their opportunity shops or fundraising. Extra costs for vetting volunteers would only put more pressure on funding, he said, and would add to a growing list of compliance costs for charitable organisations. "It's quite a big concern for us."

He understood the police would be feeling the financial strain of covering it but also said the cost could not fall with the volunteers, who were already donating their time.

Tauranga Women's refuge manager Angela Warren-Clark said their volunteer numbers would start to increase as their opportunity shop got up-and- running. They had eight volunteers but would need 15 just to start up the shop and she expected that number to grow.

"It's money we'd prefer not to pay," she said.

Kevin Tso of Victim Support said the change would definitely have financial implications for "small NGOs like us where every dollar counts".

They relied on volunteers, with 70 in the eastern region (Bay of Plenty to Hawkes Bay), 750 nationwide and about 300 new volunteers to vet annually.

The Child Cancer Foundation did not provide regional volunteer figures but chief executive Robyn Kiddle said they had thousands of volunteers nationwide. "The paying for police checks for staff and volunteers would certainly have an effect on the Child Cancer Foundation. As a charity we have limited funds ... So, as with any administration costs, the paying for police checks would impact on our ability to deliver the core services that we provide to children with cancer and their families."

Former Police Minister Anne Tolley emphasised the proposed charge was much lower than the $50 to $60 paid for criminal checks in parts of Australia.