Anglicare Australia holds annual CEO forum
Anglicare Australia has held its annual CEO Forum, featuring a two-day program. The first day of business brought CEOs from the Anglicare Australia Network together to discuss national priorities.
Our guest dinner speaker at the Forum was Professor John Hewson, former Opposition Leader and Chair of the Tax and Transfer Institute at the Australian National University. Our CEOs had a wide ranging discussion with Professor Hewson that explored challenges in developing public policy and the changing political debate in Australia.
The second day involved the Anglicare CEOs meeting with a succession of politicians for discussions on their area of expertise. Some of these discussions have resulted in further contact between politicians and our CEOs.
Politicians who spent time with CEOs were:
- The Hon Bill Shorten MP, Leader of the Opposition
- The Hon Dan Tehan MP, Minister for Social Services
- The Hon Michael Keenan MP, Minister for Human Services
- The Hon Ken Wyatt MP, Minister for Aged Care; Minister for Indigenous Health
- The Hon David Gillespie MP, Assistant Minister for Children and Families
- The Hon Jane Prentice MP, Assistant Minister for Social and Disability Services
- Sen Louise Pratt, Shadow Minister for Children and Families
- Sen Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens
- Sen Rex Patrick, Leader, Centre Alliance
- Sen Tim Storer, independent
Due to the tax package passing through Parliament, the Treasurer was an apology.
Anglicare Australia Network releases landmark report on Centrelink automation
Anglicare Australia has called on the Government to properly fund Centrelink to identify and assist vulnerable clients. The call follows the release of a landmark study on the impact of Centrelink automation on Anglicare staff and clients.
The research was conducted across three different jurisdictions by Anglicare Southern Queensland, Anglicare Tasmania, and Anglicare Western Australia. It involved surveys and face to face interviews with a total of 218 staff, and a collection of client case studies.
“Our research found that people are falling through the cracks as Centrelink services become more and more automated. Centrelink might believe that it’s saving time and money, but what it’s really doing is shifting the burden onto its clients and the services that help them,” said Anglicare Australia Executive Director Kasy Chambers.
The report was covered on ABC News, Win News, SBS News and Nine News. The report was written up by news outlets including The Guardian, Fairfax newspapers, and Pro Bono News. The report was also covered by youth outlets such as Triple J’s Hack, and specialist ageing sites such as yourlifechoices.com and Starts at 60.
Click here to read Anglicare Australia’s media release. A copy of the full report, and a report brief, are also available.
Anglicare Australia keeps up pressure to protect community advocacy
Anglicare Australia has joined a coalition of leading Australian charities and non-profits in outlining its non-negotiable ‘red lines’ to on proposed laws that would hurt community advocacy.
Members of alliance have pledged to only accept new or amended laws that ensure:
- The ability of charities and NFPs to use funding (including international funding) for issues-based advocacy is not restricted
- There is a clear distinction between issues-based advocacy and politically partisan electioneering. This should be consistent with the distinction drawn in the Charities Act 2013
- Charities and NFPs don't face a greater compliance burden than they do presently, and charities and NFPs are not subject to more extensive regulatory controls and administrative requirements or criminal offences than other third parties
- Donors of gifts that are not intended or used for promoting or opposing a candidate or a party for political office should not be subject to new public reporting or registration requirements
- A clear and precise regime that is unambiguous. Charities and NFPs should not be left wondering what parts of a regime apply to them and when they apply
- Charities and NFPs are free to cooperate on issues-based advocacy to advance issues of public interest, including by working with non- Australian citizens and non-permanent Australian residents.
Labor and the Greens have pledged their support for the principles, and the story was covered in The Guardian, Buzzfeed, SBS, and Pro Bono News.
Divisive Migrants Bill must be rejected
As part of an alliance of peak bodies and welfare groups, Anglicare Australia has called on Labor, Green and crossbench Senators to reject a Government move to force new migrants to wait longer before they can access various social security payments.
The number of people eligible for support has reduced dramatically since August 2017, when the Government made changes to the SRSS program without consulting service providers or peak bodies. Many are now coming to organisations who receive no government funding.
If the changes are passed, 13,000 people nationally, including families with children, could lose all income support and are at risk of being left homeless.
The media statement is available here. Anglicare Australia has also been featured in media about the changes.
Register for Anglicare Australia’s 2018 Conference
It is with great pleasure that Anglicare Australia invites you to the 2018 Anglicare Australia National Conference, to be held at the Stanford Grand Glenelg in Adelaide, from 16-19 September, 2018. Early bird registrations have now opened, and registrations are open online.
Our theme for 2018, Courage in Kindness: Driving Change in Work and Community, captures our work and our mission. Individually we are strong and together we are even stronger. We work in hundreds of communities across Australia, responding to the needs of people in need of care. As a network we are working towards our shared goals, collaborating to improve our work, and supporting each other as we advance our mission.
Speakers will include:
- Dr Rebecca Huntley, social researcher and media commentator
- Kate Hillman, Director at Ernst and Young
- Professor John Pollaers, Chair of the Aged Care Workforce Strategy Taskforce
- Associate Professor Lorna Hallahan, disability expert
- David Pearson, Executive Director of the Don Dunstan Foundation
- Associate Professor Alwin Chong, Indigenous health and families expert
- Debra Saffrey-Collins will deliver the annual John Roffey Lecture
Delegates will be treated to concurrent sessions from experts from across the Anglicare network; some outstanding keynote addresses; and networking opportunities throughout the three days. And as always, we will kick off on Sunday evening with an opening service on Sunday night.
Click here to register for the Anglicare Australia National Conference. When registering, please ensure that you request an invoice. Do not register with a credit card.
Nominations Open: National Awards for Innovation and Excellence
Nominations have opened for the Anglicare Australia National Awards for Innovation and Excellence.
The Anglicare Australia National Awards for Innovation and Excellence, sponsored by Telstra, recognise outstanding services, projects and programs provided by the organisations of the Anglicare Australia network, as well as individual volunteers who have made a significant contribution.
The awards are an opportunity to promote successful programs within Anglicare agencies, or recognise the contributions of outstanding volunteers.
Click here to download a nomination form or find out more about the awards.