Wednesday 26 May 2021

National Sorry Day | National Reconciliation Week

Community Contributions

The National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) encourages all Australians to take time to reflect and talk to each other on the ways we can support Reconciliation in Australia. NACCHO Chair Donnella Mills, says the extraordinary response by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and other Australians, during COVID to keep communities and Elders safe is Reconciliation in action. Read more here.

Research conducted by The Salvation Army highlighted that the most vulnerable in our community are struggling to pay for the necessities like housing, food and medications, with more people than ever turning to The Salvos for support.  Learn more here.

Last week volunteers were celebrated for the vital role they play in communities across the country. During National Volunteer Week 2021 (17 - 23 May), Volunteering Australia acknowledged that it's time to recognise, reconnect, and reimagine volunteering in Australia. Learn more here.

With the start of winter next week, Healthy Homes for Renters are worried about the number of people who will die in cold homes, which is why States and Territory Governments are being urged to implement minimum energy efficiency standards for rental properties to prevent further deaths. Sign up to join the campaign, and on June 1 help spread the word via social media.

The Healing Foundation, in collaboration with the Australian Society of Archivists, has developed an online education package to highlight the vital importance of records access for Stolen Generations survivors and their descendants who have been affected by forced removal policies. Read more here.

A shocking one in every two LGBTQ people will experience domestic, family and intimate partner violence and abuse (DV) in their lifetime. So on May 28, the LGBTQ Domestic Violence Foundation will launch its #SeenAndBelieved campaign to shine a light on the prevalence of domestic and family violence in LGBTQ communities, and make these invisible victims, visible. Learn more here.

Community Conversations
National Sorry Day 2021 – Wednesday 26 May 2021

Observed annually on 26 May, National Sorry Day remembers and acknowledges the mistreatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who were forcibly removed from their families and communities, which we now know as ‘The Stolen Generations’.

National Sorry Day is a day to acknowledge the strength of Stolen Generations Survivors and reflect on how we can all play a part in the healing process. While this date carries great significance for the Stolen Generations and other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, it is also commemorated by Australians right around the country.

The first National Sorry Day was held on 26 May 1998,  one year after the Bringing Them Home report was tabled in Parliament. The Bringing Them Home report is a result of a Government Inquiry into the past policies which caused children to be removed from their families and communities in the 20th century.

Read more about the role you can play this Sorry Day
National Reconciliation Week 2021:
More than a word - Reconciliation takes action

Reconciliation Australia’s theme for 2021, More than a word. Reconciliation takes action, urges the reconciliation movement towards braver and more impactful action.

Reconciliation is a journey for all Australians – as individuals, families, communities, organisations and importantly as a nation. At the heart of this journey are relationships between the broader Australian community and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Please remember the importance of privileging and amplifying First Nations’ voices as you add your voice to calls for reconciliation and justice.

We all have a role to play when it comes to reconciliation, and in playing our part we collectively build relationships and communities that value Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, histories, cultures, and futures.

2021 marks twenty years of Reconciliation Australia and almost three decades of Australia’s formal reconciliation process.

#MoreThanAWord #NRW2021

Find out more about National Reconciliation Week
Fourth anniversary of the Uluru Statement from the Heart

Today is the fourth anniversary of the delivery of the Uluru Statement from the Heart at Yulara in the Northern Territory. The Uluru Statement from the Heart was the culmination of the deliberations of the Referendum Council, where 250 Indigenous delegates came together at the First Nations Constitutional Convention. The Convention consisted of three days of intense debate and was the culmination of 12 regional dialogues held across the nation from December 2016 to May 2017. Approximately 1,200 Indigenous people from urban, regional and remote communities attended the two-day dialogues that were designed and run by the Referendum Council.

The Uluru Statement from the Heart proposed structural reforms to address the challenges experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders across the country, including:

  • A Voice to Parliament that is enshrined in the Constitution
  • A Makarrata Commission that would lead a process of: Agreement making, or treaties; Truth-telling about our nation’s history

On the 4th Anniversary of the Uluru Statement from the Heart, help keep up the momentum of the campaign by:

  • Writing to your MP
  • Sign the Uluru Statement Canvas and back the call for a constitutionally-enshrined Voice
  • Sign on to the UluruStatement.org
  • Or see more ideas for action here
 
Community Sector Events
  • Join Children's Ground this Reconciliation Week as speakers Academic Prof. Sarah Maddison, Musician Shane Howard and Activist Sophie Trevitt come together for an insightful discussion on Reconciliation: An issue White Australia must solve - 27 May 2021 - Click here for more information and to register
  • Registrations are now open for CCA’s 2021 National ACE Summit which will run in a hybrid format from Summit headquarters at the historic Mint on Sydney’s Macquarie Street, with a virtual platform that allows participation from all around the country - 29 June 2021 - Click here for more information
  • Australian Progress are pleased to announce Corporate Campaigning Masterclass, a two-day training to build skills and knowledge to win corporate campaigns. As a participant, you'll learn everything from foundational theory and campaign strategy, to shareholder activism, how to research corporate structures and targets, the role of litigation and risk management, creative approaches like brand jamming, as well as how to use supply chains to create market change - 21-22 July 2021 - Click here for more information and to register
    Community Sector Resources
    • The goal of the reconciliation movement is for a just, equitable and reconciled country. This will only be achieved when Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, the First Peoples of this land, are able to equally contribute to daily life of the nation. Until this happens, Australia will not reach its full potential. We need more people speaking up, asking the hard questions and taking action during and beyond National Reconciliation Week. To help, Reconciliation Australia have developed a list of resources and compiled a list of 20 actions for reconciliation - Click here to get involved. If you'd like to download social media assets to support Reconciliation Week, click here. If you'd like to learn more about the National Reconciliation Week theme graphics drawn from the artwork Action by Jessica Johnson, click here.

    • Carer's Australia have developed assets to help unpaid carers better understand opioids to better compat low opioid literacy and improve confidence, and assist carers to support loved ones safely. Click here to access the resources, including information about the campaign; recommended social media messaging; and links to additional resources.
    COSS Corner
    The latest news from State and Territory Councils of Social Service

    Following the release of the 2021-22 NSW Budget, NCOSS invites you to join the annual NCOSS NSW Post-Budget (Hybrid) Event on Friday, 2 July at Parliament House or virtually. The event is an opportunity to engage with political leaders on issues of significance to NSW families and communities - particularly those doing it tough. Speakers include NSW Treasurer the Hon. Dominic Perrottet MP, who will outline the fiscal outlook for NSW, the details of the 2021-22 State Budget, and what it means for the community services sector and the people we support. Register today!

    The Property Council of Australia and Master Builders Queensland have joined QCOSS in calling for action on Queensland's housing crisis. All three major industry bodies want to see the government deliver a large social housing investment in next month’s state budget to help 47,000 people in need of housing, while also contributing to a stronger post-COVID economy.

    The 2021 State Election campaign is over and Tasmania has a new government. The community services industry will play a pivotal role in the next term of government as we seek to rebuild a stronger, more inclusive Tasmania. With a majority Liberal Government returned, TasCOSS weighs up how their commitments addressed our election platform. Read more. 

    WACOSS made a submission to the WA Industrial Relations Commission on the 2021 State Wage Case. In order to protect people on low incomes from poverty, we have submitted that a 4 per cent increase, or $30.40 per week, is consistent to meet the needs of the low paid, contributes to improved living standards for employees, and is a sensible and measured increase in the context of the WA economy. The decision will be delivered on Friday 26 June.

    In the lead up to the ACT Budget, ACTCOSS in conjunction with the Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate (CMTEDD) have been running community sector consultations and briefings. These sessions have allowed community sector organisations direct access to the ACT Treasury, and the opportunity to share key budget priorities.

    SACOSS last week launched the Falling through the gaps report which casts a spotlight on issues of access to safe, affordable, reliable drinking water in regional and remote areas, and provides a practical approach to tackling this issue. SACOSS is making a number of calls, including for a state-wide stocktake of current water supply arrangements.

    VCOSS will be doing their bit to make sure Victorian community sector organisations and the diverse community served understand the COVID immunisation program, recognise the importance of being vaccinated and are supported to 'get the jab'. This will be a new regular section in the VCOSS enews, where linkes and resources will be shared related to the vaccine program. Click here to register for the official newsletter.

    Earlier this month, NTCOSS CEO Deborah Di Natale spoke to the ABC’s Jo Laverty and Adam Steer this morning about the NT Budget which failed to deliver significant initiatives or leadership that will make inroads into the Territory’s poverty or disadvantage. Click here to learn more.

    Members in the Media
    ‘Punitive and flawed’ ParentsNext program should not be expanded, experts warn

    Economic Justice Australia (EJA), which represents community legal centres that specialise in social security, gave the example of one woman whose payments were suspended because she missed an appointment while with her son in hospital.

    Read here
    Girl who uses wheelchair deemed to have no mobility concerns by NDIS independent assessment

    A report for CYDA, prepared by academics from two universities, sought views from more than 200 families, finding significant positives but also some dissatisfaction with the scheme.

    Read here
    Budget 2021 backs jobs, mental health and farmers in Queensland but misses support for social housing and tourism

    Adrian Pisarski from National Shelter, a group advocating for low-income housing said the housing crisis had been largely ignored by the federal budget. "It's frankly very disappointing and a bit pathetic," Mr Pisarski said.

    Read here
     
    Feature Tweet

    Today is National Sorry Day.

    We unite to reflect on the sad and painful history of the Stolen Generations.

    On this day 24 years ago, a 689-page final report was tabled in Parliament, known as the ‘Bringing Them Home’ report.#SorryDay2021 #sorryday #StolenGenerations pic.twitter.com/PCtW8HTMlO

    — Coalition of Peaks (@coalition_peaks) May 26, 2021
    Click here to see full tweet
     
    We respectfully acknowledge the traditional owners and custodians of the country on which we work, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation.

    We recognise the right of all First Peoples around the country to self-determination.

    Please consider the environment before printing this email.

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