LGBTIQ+ Health Australia is calling on all parties and independent candidates to commit to nine priorities to improve the health and wellbeing of LGBTIQ+ people and communities. Click here to learn more and read the Election priorities.

The Lowitja Institute launched the Indigenous Data Sovereignty Readiness Assessment and Evaluation Toolkit for researchers, governments, and communities, to strengthen community control use and protection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander data and information. Lowitja Institute CEO, Adjunct Professor Janine Mohamed, said the toolkit will play a critical role in efforts to close the gap in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health outcomes. Click here to learn more.

As Australia prepares for a Federal Election, the Australian Association of Social Workers has released its Policy Platform, detailing practical and achievable policy recommendations based on three principles: professional integrity, respect for persons and social justice. Click here to read more.

Mission Australia’s Youth Survey 2022 is now open and young people aged 15-19 across the country are invited to complete the survey to make their voices heard. Responses provide crucial insights into young people’s foremost aspirations, experiences, concerns and barriers to achieving their goals. The survey is a chance for young people to share what’s on their mind about a range of key issues like impacts from COVID-19, economic and societal issues such as climate change and housing insecurity, as well as work and study barriers and mental health concerns.

National Reconciliation Week 2022 kicks off on Friday 27 May, with posters now available to order and the event calendar now open for contributions. Click here to find out more about the National Reconciliation Week 2022 theme and illustrations.

A lack of climate action at the national level is a defining leadership failure of the past eight years. Australians are living with the everyday consequences of this, and work must be done quickly to prevent catastrophe. The Climate Council’s new report “The Lost Years: Counting the costs of climate inaction in Australia” provides a detailed overview of the Federal Government’s approach to climate change since the election of the Liberal-National Coalition in 2013. The Climate Council has assessed the Federal Government’s climate performance over the past eight years in detail and finds there’s been a complete and catastrophic failure to act on the climate crisis. 

More than 3 million Australians lived in poverty before the pandemic struck. In December 2021, some 2.4 million adults and children were struggling to survive on income support payments that are well below the poverty line, that’s nearly one in 10 Australians – including 900,000 children (nearly 1 in 5). Click here to see Anti-Poverty Week Election Briefing plus key income support data for all Federal Electorates.

Government policy is driving inequality in communities, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples bear the brunt of these harmful and often discriminatory policies. Change the Record are calling on the incoming government to choose to end the inequality that is driving mob into prisons, and instead fund affordable housing, social security and services for everyone - changes are needed in:

Housing

• Commit to systemic reform to ensure everyone has somewhere safe and comfortable to call home
• Invest in Aboriginal and community-controlled housing
• End homelessness once and for all 

Family violence

• Adequately fund family violence prevention and legal services to meet community need
• Restore funding to the national peak the Family Violence Prevention and Legal Services Forum
• Establish a self-determined, dedicated National Safety Plan for and by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women 

Social security

• Raise the rate of Centrelink so no one is forced to live in poverty
• Abolish racist compulsory income management
• Abolish punitive mutual obligations

• Establish a National Justice Reinvestment Body
• End Black deaths in custody and fully implement police and prison oversight
• Raise the Age to at least 14 years old

For too long, elections have been used to spread fear about refugees and divide communities. The ASRC's Election campaign implores people to pledge support for policies promoting freedom, protection, safety and humanity for refugees and people seeking asylum.

Taking the pledge helps send a clear message to the future Government, that there needs to be:

• Permanent protection for refugees stuck on temporary visas
  
• Freedom from detention and a real solution for resettlement
  
• A universal safety net while people’s protection claims are processed
  
• A generous refugee program for those fleeing violence and war

It is critical that Governments act now to better support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children if there is to be progress on closing the gap.

For the second time in a week new data shows the gap is widening in critical areas relating to young people.

SNAICC CEO Catherine Liddle said the declines highlighted the importance of Governments acting on the solutions put forward by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled early childhood services.

"From 2009 to 2018 there had been a steady increase in the percentage of our children on track across all five domain areas, driven in large part by the focus on community-controlled and culturally strong service delivery,” Ms Liddle said.

• AYCC, Seed, Democracy in Colour, the National Union of Students, AYAC, FYA, School Strike for Climate and Tomorrow Movement have teamed up to host a youth ministers forum, Youth on the Mic - an online, inter-organisational, youth-led forum, inviting political candidates to listen to young people about the issues impacting young people the most - 13 April 2022 - Click here to register and learn more

• Change the Record and Everybody's Home have partnered to host a candidate forum into First Nations Housing in Leichhardt. The event will ask candidates about their plans to address the chronic housing affordability crisis, lack of appropriate housing for First Nations peoples in Leichhardt and in Queensland, and what their parties propose to do differently - 19 April 2022 - Click here to learn more and to register
  

• As part of Justice Connect's commitment to empowering stronger and more effective community organisations, and using digital strategies to increase access to legal help for the many not-for-profit organisations that cannot afford legal support, it has announced the redeveloped Not-for-profit Law website

• The Australia Institute’s economists, researchers and experts have unpacked, unpicked and decoded all 874 pages of the Budget papers, and introduced this go-to guide for understanding the Federal Budget

• 13YARN is an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander crisis support line funded by the Australian Government with the support of Lifeline and developed in collaboration with Gayaa Dhuwi (Proud Spirit) Australia. It is run by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. 13YARN has been co-designed using Lifeline expertise with several Aboriginal mental health professionals including NACCHO, Black Dog Institute Aboriginal Lived Experience team and the Centre of Best Practice along with input from Torres Strait Islander, remote, regional, and urban peoples with lived experience. Click here to learn more

• The AEC has developed a suite of 21 Why it’s important to enrol and vote in-language videos available in the following languages: Alyawarra, Anindilyakwa, Arrernte, Burarra, English, Guugu Yimithirr, Kalaw Lagaw, Kriol, Kukatja, Martu, Meriam Mir, Murrinh Patha, Ndjebanna, Nyangumarta, Pintupi Luritja, Pitjanjatjarra, Tiwi, Walmajarri, Walpiri, Yumplatok and Yolngu Matha.

Acting chief executive officer Dr Les baxter said the charity was concerned that JobSeeker benefits had not kept pace with the cost of living, driving more people into poverty than before.

The next federal government should commission a detailed review of the age pension to ensure older Australians with no superannuation are not left behind, COTA says.

Major parties urged to spell out more policy and make system sustainable, as Anglicare launches wage-rise campaign for carers

NATSILS 2022 Budget Analysis: https://t.co/MUyngcH1XH

— NATSILS (@NATSILS_) April 7, 2022