Young Australians are under pressure as they grapple with the dual threat of rising underemployment as well as stubbornly high unemployment, a report released yesterday by the Brotherhood of St Laurence finds. Australia's youth underemployment rate, where people have some work but want more hours, has surged to 18 per cent- the highest it's been in 40 years. That rate is even higher than the youth unemployment rate for 15-24 year-olds in the labour force of 13.5 per cent, which has been persistently high since the 2008 global financial crisis. Today, almost a third of Australia's youth labour force are unemployed or underemployed, according to the new data analysis by the national welfare group the Brotherhood of Laurence as part of its youth employment campaign. In total, more than 650,000 young people were unemployed or underemployed in February 2017, according to the "Generation stalled: young, underemployed and living precariously in Australia" report. To read the report, click here To see other resources, visit BSL's website

Anglicare Australia has made a submission on the to the Senate inquiry into the Design, scope, cost-benefit analysis, contracts awarded and implementation associated with the Better Management of the Social Welfare System initiative (also known as the Centrelink automated debt recovery system).

The Coalition government has announced that it will consider creating a new affordable housing body to assist renters and those on lower incomes in accessing community housing. Executive Director of Anglicare Australia Kasy Chambers appreciates the Government’s commitment to doing more work on a range of issues to improve housing affordability. She said today that collaboration between all levels of Government, as well as the private and community sectors is crucial to creating a workable system.

Anglicare Australia has made the following submission to the inquiry into the provision of services under the NDIS for people with a psychosocial disability relating to a mental health condition. In our view fundamental questions relating to the provision of services for people with psychosocial disabilities are unresolved, and require urgent attention. Further, it is essential that while these issues are being resolved, funding for community mental health programs must continue.

Anglicare Australia welcomed the opportunity to respond to this inquiry into the non-payment of the Superannuation Guarantee. From our work across a diversity of services, including employment services, disability services, emergency relief and housing, we know that the income issues some people face at retirement reflect their working lives, battles with health, various caring responsibilities, and experience of deep and persistent disadvantage prior to retirement. Given the nature of the care and services Anglicare members provide, and the human insights we gain from it, this submission will focus in particular on the effect of the non-payment of the superannuation guarantee on low income workers and their retirement incomes. To read our submission, click here

Anglicare Australia joined with ACOSS and a range of community organisations this week to oppose the Government’s Omnibus Bill that would see vulnerable people losing income benefits in order to pay for other essential services including childcare and the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS.) “Anglicare Australia serves around one in 25 vulnerable Australians, many of whom rely on income support such as Carers’ Payments, Parenting Payments, Disability Support Payments and Family Tax Benefits. Some are looking for help from the NDIS. Some need better access to childcare” Anglicare Australia’s Executive Director Kasy Chambers said today.

Anglicare Australia supports ACOSS and National Shelter in their call today for the Australian government to continue with the National Affordable Housing Agreement (NAHA) and to plan for more social housing, not less. Executive Director of Anglicare Australia Kasy Chambers noted that in recent days, the Government has pointed to a shrinking supply of public housing. "If the government were to slash its NAHA investment, as has been suggested it might, we wouldn’t see more social housing, we’d see less. That is not acceptable. “Everyone in Australia knows that there is a severe housing crisis and it is hardest on those who have the least access.

Anglicare Australia has made the following submission to the Productivity Commission's Inquiry into Human Services. Anglicare Australia contested some of the broad parameters of this inquiry from the start. It appears to be established on the presumption that competition is by its nature a driver of efficiency; that efficiency is an inherently good thing in human services; that the innovation that comes with competition between businesses is of benefit to service users; and that it is appropriate to equate individual consumer choice with agency and wellbeing. These are not presumptions we accept. To read our full submission, click here

Anglicare Australia has made a submission to the Treasurer in regard to Australian Government’s Budget for 2017-2018. It is based on the insight and expertise of Anglicare Australia’s member organisations, and addresses the interests and experience of the people with whom they work. The submissiona argues that in economic and cultural terms Australia is not an island and that rapidly developing technology and global communications are changing the shape of business, employment and community. Growth in income and wealth is skewed towards those who are already higher income earners. The impact of climate change is giving rise to health and social sustainability challenges, as well as environmental damage, and the new industries it is driving are both creating opportunities and generating further disruption and job losses around the globe.

Executive Director of Anglicare Australia Kasy Chambers today published an opinion piece on the ABC Religion and Ethics website on the Centrelink Automated Debt Collection. Using the lens of the Bible and the Gospel values informing the work of social service organisations like Anglicare, Ms Chambers said that "while we might not always use explicit language about our faith traditions in efforts to be inclusive of all, the recent Centrelink Automated Debt Collection debacle has strongly reminded us of some of the biblical stories underpinning our advocacy." To read this article, click here