Wednesday 24 November 2021

Community Contributions

The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) says Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities are at increased risk as Australia opens up, due to dangerously lagging COVID-19 vaccination rates. As the holiday season approaches and people start moving around the country and mingling more, vaccine coverage among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities continues to lag behind non-Indigenous populations. Click here to read more.

After five years of building the Migrant Worker Justice Initiative, UNSW are delighted to share that this collaborative project is being expanded into a new non-profit organisation, the Migrant Justice Institute. The Institute will undertake strategic research and legal action to achieve fair treatment, enforcement of rights and access to justice for migrant workers in Australia and globally. Click here to learn more.

Professionals providing vital care and support to those living with disability and disadvantage were proud to work in their sector but are likely to leave unless there are more opportunities to progress and develop new skills, according to new HESTA research. The State of the Sector 2021: Community and Disability Workforce Insights report found around one in six community services professionals surveyed were planning to leave the sector in the next two years. Almost a third of young professionals aged between 18 and 39 said they were planning to exit in the short term. Click here to learn more.


A new report from Economic Justice Australia looking at Centrelink debts and domestic violence, shows that survivors of domestic violence, usually women, are unfairly held solely responsible for social security debts in situations where the debt was the direct result of their partner’s or ex-partner’s threats, physical violence or coercion. Click here to learn more.

Australia has tried and proven electoral laws. FECCA is calling on the Government to abandon the Voter ID bill which will create additional barriers for multicultural and vulnerable communities voting at federal elections. The unintended consequences of the proposed changes will be to affect access, fairness, equity and participation in the democratic process. "The Government must consult multicultural communities on the proposed Voter ID bill to fully understand the barriers and disincentives that this will impose on our communities," said FECCA Chairperson, Mary Patetsos. Read more here.

The National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) is deeply concerned by the proposed Voter ID changes in the 'Electoral Legislation Amendment (Voter Integrity) Bill 2021'. NACCHO is urging all parliamentarians to oppose this unnecessary measure. We do not want to see vulnerable Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people disenfranchised. Read more here.

Community Conversations

A 'nothing announcement' that does nothing to help children: Says Change the Record

Change the Record, the only national First Nations-led justice coalition has condemned the decision of the Meeting of Attorneys General (MAG) as empty, inadequate and failing to improve the lives of children and young people. 

The Attorney General decided on Friday 12 November to “support developing a proposal to increase the minimum age of criminal responsibility from 10 to 12 including with regard to any carve outs, timing and discussion of implementation supports.” 

“This is a nothing announcement that does nothing to improve the lives of children, and nothing to close the gap. The medical evidence is clear: governments should raise the age of criminal responsibility to 14 years old as a bare minimum," says Change the Record Co-Chair Cheryl Axleby.

“Last year almost 500 children under the age of 14 languished behind bars, disproportionately Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. This proposed reform would do nothing to help those children - it just kicks the can further down the road. 

“The United Nations, and over thirty other countries, have called on Australia to raise the age to at least 14 years old. This ‘nothing announcement’ for a proposal to not even raise the age to the bare minimum is devastating for kids who are being harmed by the criminal legal system, and their families. 

If Covid has taught governments anything, it’s that you can’t pick and choose what medical advice you follow. The doctor’s orders are clear: raise the age to at least 14 years old.” 

Read more here

Thorpey fronts campaign opposing the Religious Discrimination Bill as 250 orgs sign open letter

Olympian Ian Thorpe has teamed up with LGBTIQ+ organisation, Equality Australia, to launch a campaign urging the Australian Parliament to oppose a Religious Discrimination Bill that fails to protect everyone in the Australian community equally.

“The Morrison government’s Religious Discrimination Bill is back on the agenda. It’s a piece of legislation that threatens to take us backwards as a society, winding back hard-fought protections for women, LGBTIQ+ people, people with disability and, ironically, people of faith”, said Ian Thorpe.

“According to reports last week, the government has scaled back some aspects of the bill, but what remains would override existing protections for some of the community’s most vulnerable and compromise access to healthcare without judgement and inclusive workplaces.

“The Australian parliament must come together to ensure our laws protect all of us, equally, no matter who we are, what we believe, or whom we love.”

Learn more

‘Digital divide’ and other learning related challenges remain major issues according to new survey

After almost two years of the COVID crisis, The Smith Family says digital inequity remains an overwhelming challenge for the students and families it supports – as do concerns around the impact of lost learning and a lack of motivation for many schoolchildren.

The findings are revealed in a new Smith Family Pulse Survey, a national survey of The Smith Family’s frontline workers. The Family Partnership Coordinators, Program Coordinators and Team Leaders who work directly with children, young people, parents and carers were asked questions about what they are seeing and hearing through their connection with students and families in communities experiencing disadvantage across the country.

This survey is the first survey of this type to be carried out by The Smith Family and it will be repeated regularly throughout each year to allow us to track families’ changing circumstances and to build up a picture over time of what they’re facing.

Click here to learn more

Launch of First Nations Clean Energy Network

With UN climate talks over and Australia’s climate plans relying on the rapid growth of large scale clean energy projects, the First Nations Clean Energy Network will ensure the transition occurs in partnership with First Nations communities, sharing its jobs and economic benefits, protecting sacred sites and respecting native title.

The Network will support First Nations communities and business enterprises to manage clean energy projects, from small community projects to large-scale, export focussed initiatives.

Launch partners include the National Native Title Council, Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation, ACTU, ETU and MUA, Smart Energy Council, Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research at ANU, Clean Energy Council, Renewable Energy Alliance, Impact Investment Partners, Community Power Agency, Lowitja Institute, Climate Council, and many others.

Learn more about The Network
 

Community Sector Events

  • The Australian Productivity Commission’s program of work on better outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is an example of a broader commitment to engaging with different knowledges when it comes to policy design, implementation and change. In this impact2021 webinar, hear from panellists on approaches and strategies to improve outcomes for Indigenous peoples - 25 November 2021 - Click here for more information and to register
  • There are just weeks left until FWD+Organise 2021, and the full program has just been announced. Group discounts are available, as well as scholarships for communities with lived experience (including First Nations people, people with disability, people of colour and people with lived experience seeking asylum) - Starting 29 November 2021 - Click here for more information
  • Online training is now available by the Australian Centre for students with disability, their families and advocates. The training will be practical and interactive, and it will focus on: your rights; how to build a good relationship with your school or education provider; communication tips how to deal with issues if they arise - 9 December 2021 - Click here to register

Community Sector Resources

  • To better empower individuals to make a difference to those around them, Pro Bono News has launched How Can I Help? Hosted by Pro Bono News editor Wendy Williams, the six-part series features conversations with people with lived experience and experts in the field on what we can do to help in situations that we all might encounter at some point in our lives – whether that’s when you see someone sleeping rough, if you think a friend or colleague is in an abusive relationship, or if a family member is suffering from depression. Check out the trailer and episode one here.

COSS Corner

The latest news from State and Territory Councils of Social Service

NCOSS will be celebrating the hard work of our sector at this year's AGM, which will take place at the Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre and by live stream on Friday, 26 November 2021. MC for the event will be 7News journalist and Western Sydney girl, the fabulous Sarina Andaloro. The program includes a panel discussion with four local leaders who will reflect on getting through Sydney’s harshest lockdowns and how they rose to the challenge of keeping their communities safe and connected. Click here for more information.

VCOSS are approaching the final installment in its Disaster Recovery Conversations. The tenth and final Conversation will take place, via Zoom, on Thursday 25 November at 4pm. Join VCOSS for a discussion focussing on disaster recovery over the longer term. Expertise and experiences will be shared, as well as the opportunity for audience Q&A. Click here to register.

TasCOSS are deeply disappointed and concerned by the decision of the Meeting of Attorneys-General to develop a plan to raise the age of criminal responsibility to only 12 years old. TasCOSS CEO Ms Adrienne Picone said government should heed the advice of the countless community organisations and leaders, including the Children’s Commissioners in every state and territory, who have highlighted the urgent need to raise the age of criminal responsibility to 14. “A vague commitment to raise the age to 12 years is not good enough for our young people, their families and communities,” Ms Picone said. 

QCOSS says the decision of the Meeting of Attorneys General (MAG) regarding the minimum age of criminal responsibility is meaningless. "This 'announcement' is just political smoke and mirrors. If there is real political commitment to getting young children out of the criminal justice system, the Queensland Government should be taking decisive action not announcing a proposal," said QCOSS CEO Aimee McVeigh. A decision to make a plan means nothing, especially for young children who are currently spending days in watch houses.  

The Northern Territory Government must act to keep children out of detention by immediately raising the age of criminal responsibility. “Today marks four years since the final report of the Royal Commission into the Protection and Detention of Children in the NT was tabled in Parliament, and still children as young as 10 are locked up,” said CEO of NTCOSS, Deborah Di Natale.

ACTCOSS commended the ACT Attorney General and ACT Government for its long-standing commitment to raising the age of criminal responsibility to 14 years - the only state or territory in Australia to do so. This follows outrage from community, legal, health and First Nations groups about the decision of Attorneys General (MAG) to merely "support developing a proposal to increase the minimum age of criminal responsibility from 10 to 12 including with regard to any carve outs, timeline and discussion of implementation supports." Dr Emma Campbell, ACTCOSS CEO, said: "we are bitterly disappointed that the other states and territories are not following the ACT's lead on this matter."

SACOSS' Liveable Futures conference provided an important and thought-provoking examination of critical equity considerations thrown up by our accelerating move to renewables. "Decarbonising our economy in response to a changing climate is inevitable and necessary. But it’s also important for us to examine the equity implications of the energy transition," stressed SACOSS CEO Ross Womersley. Click here to read more.

With WACOSS staff 100% vaccinated, they are in the fortunate position of being able to craft a mandatory vaccination policy in consultation with staff safe in the knowledge that there will be no impacts on employment. WACOSS understand that many organisations are not in this position, which is why developing a mandatory vaccination policy with signoff from your Board is so important for the future safety of your organisation's workplace. WACOSS are hopeful that they will have a policy to share with the sector shortly. Keep across WACOSS website for updates.

Members in the Media

Emergency housing services in south-eastern NSW brace for busy summer

Mission Australia's homelessness program manager for the Bega Valley, Donna Davis, said the crisis has now gone beyond breaking point and fears the worst was still to come.

"Come December it's a scary, scary place to look at where we could potentially be in a lot of trouble," Ms Davis said.

Read here

The same places keep appearing in most-disadvantaged lists. COVID means it could be getting worse

As she fills up baskets at the local Foodbank, volunteer Chandelle Wilson identifies with the attitudes of those coming in for help.
 
"There is a whole background of [being] downtrodden," she said.

Read here

Number of Aussies in poverty tipped to rise, advocate warns

Anti Poverty Week executive director Toni Wren said wealth inequality in Australia was already severe before the pandemic hit but “totally avoidable” lockdowns had caused harm for years to come.

“Even before this pandemic struck, there were more than three million Australians who were locked in poverty ... and I think that number will continue to rise,” Ms Wren told the National Press Club on Wednesday.

Read here
 

Feature Tweet

Homelessness is soaring across Australia.

Unless the Federal Government takes action now, it will only get worse. #BuildSocialHousing #EverybodysHomehttps://t.co/x9IAOHeVsZ
https://t.co/ixcFGDAUUG

— Everybody's Home (@_EverybodysHome) November 14, 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.

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