Disadvantage report disturbing Benalla Rural City Council will partner with Benalla Health to further investigate why Benalla remains one of the most disadvantaged postcodes in Victoria. The investigation follows the release in July of the report Dropping off the Edge 2015 Persistent Communal Disadvantage in Australia, which listed Benalla as one of the most socially disadvantaged towns in Victoria and one of a small number of communities which has a web of disadvantage and structural barriers that make it almost impossible for residents to overcome economic and social disadvantage. Based on 22 social indicators, Benalla fell into the top five per cent in Victoria for the highest number of juvenile convictions and in the top 10 per cent for child maltreatment and long-term unemployment. Also very high was the ranking for Year 9 Reading (the proportion of Year 9 students not at or above national minimum standard percentage for reading skills). Councils general manager corporate and community services Robert Barber told last weeks Finance and Operations Committee meeting, any costs of analysing the report would be shared with Benalla Health and met from the existing budget allocation. Continued on page 3 Report to be probed Continued from page 1 The DOTE report was described as disturbing by several councillors, though Cr Ellen Croker wanted it noted that Member for Northern Victoria Jaclyn Symes should be congratulated for her work in securing a $900 000 grant for Benalla P-12 College to be spent specifically on addressing numeracy and literacy skills. Its a good thing, a wonderful grant and hopefully well see the numeracy figures come down. Cr Barbara Alexander pointed to the improvement in Year 3 numeracy and literacy. When I got the figures I was a bit distressed, but heartened to see Year 3 had changed, Cr Alexander said. Year 9 didnt have the advantage of the great work of groups such as Tomorrow:Today, Family Liaison . . . It will probably take another seven years to see the improvement. This was the fourth DOTE report commissioned by Jesuit Social Services Australia, with reports released in 1999, 2004 and 2007, providing a basis to measure social change. The ranking of 10 of the 12 most disadvantaged communities in Victoria, including Benalla, has not improved since the 2007 report. The most dominant factors in the most disadvantaged Victorian postcodes included unemployment, criminal convictions, disability, low education, child maltreatment, family violence and psychiatric admissions. Cr Peter Davis said while it was a good thing the council was trying to address it, when you look at the big picture a lot of the blame is with the state and federal governments. Clearly (they) are not doing enough. Mayor Justin King agreed the council should continue to lobby State and Federal MPs to address the issue. Projects, groups, committees in Benalla are doing everything they can with limited resources, Cr King said. Theyre still at the grass roots doing what they can.