Wednesday 16 March 2022

Community Contributions

Settlement Council of Australia (SCoA) made a submission to and appeared before the Senate Inquiry into Australia’s Engagement in Afghanistan advocating for changes to the HSP to enhance emergency preparedness and flexibility, and a larger intake of Afghan refugees.

UnitingCare Australia is calling on the major parties to commit to fully funding an increase in aged care wages ahead of the 2022 Federal Election. Aged care workers are the lowest paid caring workforce, yet they provide some of the most important work caring for our loved ones, said National Director, Claerwen Little.

Community Colleges Australia (CCA) has called for an outreach program to re-engage disadvantaged and vulnerable learners who have left training because of COVID-19 concerns. Click here to learn more.

Australia’s National Children’s Commissioner wants to hear from children and families about how living through COVID-19 has affected their mental health and wellbeing. They are surveying children and young people to find out about the unique challenges faced and the social, emotional, educational impacts they have experienced. They are surveying parents, carers and grandparents about children’s experiences and how they have coped with parenting challenges during this time.

A new report has shone a light on the fastest-growing cohort of homeless Australians: Women over the age of 55. With a foreword by the Age Discrimination Commissioner Dr Kay Patterson AO, the report by the Retirement Living Council provides a set of policy solutions to stop more older women slipping into homelessness.

Community Conversations

National Close the Gap Day
17 March 2022

For more than a decade now, Australians from every corner of the country, in schools, businesses and community groups, have shown their support for Close the Gap by marking National Close the Gap Day on the third Thursday of March each year.

This National Close the Gap Day, there is an opportunity to send governments a clear message that Australians value health equality as a fundamental right for all.

On National Close the Gap Day people are encouraged to get involved and host an activity in workplaces, homes, community or schools.

The aim is to bring people together to share information, and most importantly, to take meaningful action in support of achieving health equality for First Nations Peoples.

Click here to learn more and support National Close the Gap Day

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled organisations best placed to support our children and families

SNAICC – National Voice for our Children has launched 11 profiles showcasing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled organisations who are successfully working with children and families to prevent them from coming into contact with the child protection system.

The 11 profiles tell stories of how the lived experiences, cultural knowledge and relationships of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations and staff create safe spaces for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families.

Each Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-led organisation has developed their own unique approach to working with children and families that is built on cultural safety and connection to community. This is ensuring that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families get the support they need to learn, grow, succeed, and avoid coming into contact with child protection services.

Click here to access the 11 profiles on SNAICC’s website.

Click here to learn more

Change the Record and the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services (NATSILS) respond to Rolfe verdict

Change the Record and the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services (NATSILS) have expressed their dismay that once again an Aboriginal person has died in custody with no consequences.

No police or prison officer has ever been convicted of murder for the death of a First Nations person, despite over 500 First Nations people dying in custody since the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. Change the Record and NATSILS send strength, solidarity and deep respect to the family and loved ones of Kumanjayi Walker and Warlpiri community.

Change the Record and NATSILS amplify the calls of the Walker family and Yuendumu elders for a ceasefire in our communities - no more guns, for community constables and for Senior Elders and community members to be involved in decision-making for our people. 

Click here to read the statement
 

Community Sector Events

  • The Australian Human Rights Commission and Reconciliation Australia are delighted to launch the 2022 Close the Gap Campaign report “Transforming Power; Voices for generational change”, produced by the Lowitja Institute. The report showcases Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander led community initiatives, that recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership, provide genuine opportunities for decision making and that strengthen and embed cultures - 17 March 2022 - Click here to learn more and to register

  • There are a few spots left for Australian Progress's Organising Essentials training program for new community organisers, a three-day course. The training will offer participants the opportunity to learn everything including learning best practice models and approaches, applying innovative and practical tools, connecting community through digital organising and the latest technology, and building leadership to mobilise change - 22-24 March 2022 - Click here to learn more and to register
  • HESTA and AIA Australia are presenting a Workplace Resilience webinar available to all HESTA employers and partners. It’s designed to help support employees’ mental health and (re)build their resilience — both of which may have been challenged during the pandemic.  Hear from industry leaders in mental health - Aaron Williams, CEO of Mindstar, and Rob Prugue, Chair of People Reaching out to People (PROP) - followed by a panel discussion with the opportunity to ask questions - 23 March 2022 - Click here for more information and to register

Community Sector Resources

  • The National COVID Vaccine Taskforce’s latest list (released yesterday) of additional vaccination hubs to assist priority cohorts accessing boosters, including disability support and aged care workers, people with a disability, childcare workers and distribution centre workers, is available here.
  • A comprehensive eKit is now available on the Natural disaster resources for community groups webpage on the Services Australia website. These resources are to support conversations about the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment and other financial support. The eKit includes; Australian Government Disaster Recovery (AGDRP) factsheet; Disaster Recovery Allowance (DRA) factsheet; Services Australia mobile services factsheet;
    talking points about AGDRP and DRA
    social media tiles for disaster support;
    Someone to deal with us on your behalf factsheet. There are also links to translated resources, available in 20 languages, about natural disaster payments on the same page.

COSS Corner

The latest news from State and Territory Councils of Social Service

As part of WACOSS’s recent advocacy efforts, we have secured $1 million in funding from the West Australian State Government to cover additional cleaning costs incurred by community service organisations due to interaction with COVID-19 positive cases. This funding is available on a reimbursement basis for any not-for-profit community service that holds a WA Government contract providing services to vulnerable community members. For more information about the scheme and to apply for reimbursement, please click here to visit WACOSS website.

TasCOSS are looking for community services chief executives, board chairs and service users to join with other strategic leaders to govern towards the vision for a connected community services industry that supports all Tasmanians to live a good life and enrich our state’s social, cultural and economic wellbeing. Apply to oversee the Industry Plan today by completing an EOI outlining what you can bring to the role and your experience and qualifications. 

Early bird registrations have opened for our 2022 QCOSS Conference, which will explore Power and Politics of the Care Economy. We're looking forward to coming together face-to-face to explore how power is created and used and what we can achieve when we work collectively toward equality, opportunity and wellbeing for every Queenslander. 

With the SA State Election this Saturday, SACOSS has been continuing to highlight key areas where action and commitment is needed. Our Cover the Basics policy prescriptions include action on rental affordability, digital inclusion, making concessions fairer, investing in disease prevention and health promotion, and fixing drinking water supply in regional and remote areas, together with a range of other measures. This week we have marked the party responses in our Election Report Card. Our advocacy on these critical areas will continue post-election.

The Victorian Government is being urged to plant more trees and build more parks in Melbourne’s west. Green spaces were a lifeline for many people during COVID lockdowns, and a place for exercise and relaxation long before, but not everybody is lucky enough to have a local park. About 340,000 people don’t have a park within walking distance of their home. And people living in the western suburbs are missing out the most, according to a new Parliamentary Inquiry report. Read more on the VCOSS website.

NCOSS Pre-Budget Submission follows engagement and consultation with the many NCOSS members, other frontline services and peak organisations who have supported communities through bushfires, drought, floods, multiple COVID-19 outbreaks and associated economic and social dislocation. Click here to read the submission and learn more.

Aboriginal leaders and community sector advocates are calling on the Northern Territory Government to stop playing games on the detention and protection of children. Revelations in the NT News that spit hoods and restraints are still being used on children in the Northern Territory, years after the Chief Minister Michael Gunner and the Northern Territory Government promised they would be banned, are both shocking and concerning. Click here to read the full NTCOSS media release.

The ACT Government has responded to a call by ACTCOSS for urgent meetings to review the implementation of the Growing and Renewing Public Housing Program. The ACT Government says that its Growing and Renewing Public Housing program gives public housing tenants in Canberra the chance to move out of their homes to newer homes so that older sites can be sold to raise revenue or be redeveloped into modern public housing. Click here to read more from ACTCOSS.

Members in the Media

Heart Failure - Four Corners 

ABC Four Corners has investigated the shameful and, until now, hidden failure in public health taking place in remote Australian communities in it’s episode Heart Failure: An investigation into the hidden killer in remote Australian communities.

During the episode NACCHO CEO Pat Turner talks about the serious health crisis of Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD) and exposing the many unique issues faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Watch here

Townsville has just 12 beds for homeless teens, leaving many desperate for shelter

Youth workers have told the ABC they deal with first-hand accounts of young people, desperate for a place to live, enduring abusive relationships.

It was no surprise to Dr Phil Flint, the regional leader of Mission Australia.

"That is the reality for some people who have limited choice," Dr Flint said.

Read here

Oxfam pressures Aust brands on women's pay

An international charity is calling on Australian fashion brands to live their values and ensure they pay a living wage to the women who make their clothes.

To coincide with International Women’s Day on Tuesday, Oxfam is spotlighting women’s fitness brand Lorna Jane and period underwear outfit Modibodi as part of its “What She Makes” campaign.

Read here
 

Feature Tweet

14 refugees have been released from detention over the long weekend, joining the 200+ people released since Dec. 2020.

There are now around 50 refugees still held against their will in detention for no reason.#TimeforaHome https://t.co/C7hTCFXCb6

— ASRC (@ASRC1) March 15, 2022
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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