Wednesday 27 April 2022 - Raise the Rate National Day of Action

Federal Election 2022 - Community Conversations

SNAICC - National Voice for our Children is calling on all major parties in the upcoming Federal election to commit to actions that create a better start in life for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. SNAICC's election priorities have been sent to parties with the responses to inform a snapshot of where they stand on key policies impacting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families. Click to learn more.

Peak Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health organisations have released a powerful position paper on the climate emergency and health, calling for action to address pervasive racism, the privileging of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge in climate change responses, and support for an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander environmental health workforce. Learn more.

Community Colleges Australia (CCA) has released its 2022 National Election Briefing for the May 2022 election. CCA monitors all statements by major political parties that have relevance to Australia’s not-for-profit (NFP) adult and community education (ACE) providers. Click here to read the briefing.

The Consumers Health Forum (CHF) is calling for political leaders to put the health of Australians front and centre this election with prudent reform of primary health care. CHF is highlighting crucial initiatives that could have the most impact on the health of Australians, and the health care system. Click here to learn more.

Children and Young People with Disability Australia (CYDA) are calling for political parties to commit to developing a national plan to streamline the employment system for young people with disability. This call from CYDA is part of the 'Clearing the Clearing the Roadblocks: Promoting equitable pathways and opportunities' report, which outlines CYDA’s Federal Election asks.  

Refugee Council of Australia have put together some election resources – including refugee policy priorities which need to be addressed by the government, and a summary of the refugee policy platforms of the major parties. They've also developed a Q&A document to help conversations with politicians, friends and family on issues affecting refugees and people seeking asylum. Click here to access the resources.


The Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia (FECCA) released its policy platform, in the lead up to the federal election. FECCA is calling for the establishment of the Office for Multicultural Australia to ensure a coordinated focus on Australia’s multiculturalism. This ask, along with eight other priority areas for action, forms FECCA’s 2022 Policy Platform, Advancing Multicultural Australia.  

Reconciliation Australia has released its roadmap for Election 2022 and beyond. For Australia to move forward on its reconciliation journey, an incoming Australian Government and Federal Parliament must, within the next term, work in genuine partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and Reconciliation Australia

The Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA) encourage all Australia’s people to learn about public health issues and discuss them with their families, friends and communities. PHAA encourage voting Australians to give public health issues high importance when deciding who should represent them in Parliaments - #VoteForPublicHealth 

This election, Jesuit Social Services calls for resources, policies, practices and ideas that reduce inequality, prejudice and exclusion and that, ultimately, reflect a more compassionate and just Australia. Click here to download the 'Federal Election 2022 platform – A blueprint for a just recovery' and learn more.

Council on the Ageing (COTA) Australia, the peak body and leading advocate for older Australians, has today released its Agenda for the next Government and Parliament on the needs of older Australians. The Agenda covers 12 public policy areas and includes 37 recommendations for the 47th Parliament of Australia. This wide-ranging policy agenda sets out opportunities to improve the lives of older Australians for whomever forms government, and the 47th Parliament as a whole.

 

Community Sector Events

  • Taking place at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, Connecting Up's three-day interactive conference empowers not-for-profits and charities to get the most out of technology and transform their organisation from the ground up - 11-13 May 2022 - Click here to learn more and register

  • Every NFP uses budgets and often a combination of budgets and forecasts. What apps are there that could save you time and make your life easier? How do you pick the right one? Join this Connecting Up webinar to find out - 25 May 2022 - Click to register and learn more

Community Sector Resources

  • As we head into the 2022 Federal Election, the Centre for Social Impact has produced a series of evidence-based briefing papers to provide non-partisan evidence, interpretation and recommendations on a selection of policy priorities. The papers - developed with expert contributions from across all four of CSI's centres - draw on our recent evidence-base and aim to resource and contribute to discussion and debate in the lead up to the election. Click here to learn more.

  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people often experience complex and challenging health care journeys that are culturally unsafe, leading to adverse health outcomes. Associate Professor Janet Kelly of the University of Adelaide and the Lowitja Institute, launched the Health Journey Mapping tools and resources to improve the quality and cultural safety of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s health care journeys. The package of tools consists of three mapping tools, a handy user guide, some worked examples and introductory videos, such as the one below. Find out more here.

COSS Corner

The latest news from State and Territory Councils of Social Service

NTCOSS welcomes the Australian Labor Party’s commitment to scrap Compulsory Income Management if elected at the upcoming federal election. NTCOSS CEO Deborah Di Natale says she looks forward to seeing more detail on this, with better policies and strong leadership needed in this space. “We want to see all major parties match this commitment to scrap this bad policy,” she said. Click here to read more.

The WA State Budget will be handed down on Thursday 12 May 2022 and WACOSS will be offering a briefing to members on what the implications are for them, the broader sector and the community. The WACOSS team will develop fact sheets and detailed analysis on how the State Budget will impact the sector and the people we advocate for. WACOSS Leader of Policy and Research, Chris Twomey, and Senior Policy Officer, Eva Perroni, will present this analysis on Friday 13 May via Zoom from 2pm. Click to register.

TasCOSS, Tasmanian Small Business Council (TSBC) and Council on the Ageing (COTA) Tasmania have made submissions to the Office of the Tasmanian Economic Regulator’s (OTTER) price investigation process, identifying savings and efficiencies that could flow through to lower electricity prices for consumers and small businesses. Click here to read the release.

ACTCOSS has called on all parties in the upcoming federal election to commit to a fairer Canberra by backing policies that support those who have the least. Using national analysis and ACT-focused research, ACTCOSS has identified six policy priorities that will give a fair go to people on low incomes and those disadvantaged by current systems. Click here to learn more.

Want to know how the Queensland State Budget will impact your organisation and your community? Join QCOSS for its annual State Budget Breakfast on Thursday, 23 June for a special In Conversation with the Honourable Cameron Dick MP, Queensland Treasurer and Minister for Trade and Investment. Click to register.

The Victorian Budget will be delivered on Tuesday 3rd May, 2022. It will detail the Victorian Government's plans for the decade ahead. Hosted by RMIT Economics Professor Dr David Hayward, join this VCOSS event on the Thursday before the budget to discuss: Understanding the political and fiscal context of the budget, tips and tricks for understanding the budget papers, and what to expect on budget day.

NCOSS made a submission to the NSW Women's Economic Opportunities Review. The social services sector is an essential industry, anchored by a female workforce. In NSW it is a major employer of women with three out of four employees in the sector being female. The submission sets out how current circumstances have brought greater recognition to the sector’s essential role and focused attention on the benefits of Government partnering together to keep vulnerable members of the community safe and supported. Click here to learn more.

SACOSS's Building a Climate Resilient Community Sector conference will illustrate why climate change is the social justice issue of our time, and that the time to step up is NOW! Register today and join this event to discuss what are the risks and impacts on organisations, service models, paid and volunteer staff or client groups? How do we prepare? How can we best work with government, emergency service providers and sector partners to create a safer future?

Members in the Media

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are 15 times more likely to be diagnosed with Rheumatic Heart Disease than other

Pat Turner, NACCHO CEO said, “ARF and RHD are preventable conditions. Despite this, too many of our communities continue to experience the effects of these diseases of disadvantage. This updated report provides further evidence that a new approach to ending ARF and RHD is needed. It is imperative the ACCHO sector now plays the lead role in identifying and implementing future solutions.”

Read here

Red Cross flood grant applications close

Red Cross Acting Director of Australian Programs Garry Page said $20 million dollars had been distributed so far through approximately 40,000 grants, and an estimated 30,000 eligible applications will be processed in the coming days and weeks

Read here

They were trapped in immigration detention for nine years. Here's what life after the Park Hotel looks like

Jana Favero, advocacy head at the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, contributes.

Read here
 

Feature Tweet

Without a fair and adequate social security system too many Australians will continue to live in poverty (https://t.co/kv9qTMIsMF) #auspol

— BSL (@Brotherhoodinfo) April 14, 2022
Click here to see full tweet
 

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

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