Media Release, 10 April, 2016 In a speech to AHURI today (Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute), the Federal Treasurer Scott Morrison has declared that housing will be a priority for the Federal Budget. The Treasurer told AHURI that the housing market was part of a continuum “ranging from homeowners, to renters, to social and affordable housing, and regrettably homelessness.”

MEDIA RELEASE, 29 March, 2017 Anglicare Australia, together with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profit Commission (ACNC) and the Australian Accounting Standards Board (AASB) today launched a new issues paper on not-for profit sector reporting and accountability. The paper, entitled: Issues Paper: Better Financial Reporting for Australian NFPs focuses on financial reporting for the Australian Not-for-profit and Charitable Sector. Anglicare Australia commissioned the paper from Dr David Gilchrist of Baxter-Lawley.

In the following Opinion Piece published on Online Opinion, Executive Director of Anglicare Australia Kasy Chambers asks where the evidence is that the Government is working to create an income support system that connects with the lives of the citizens it serves? To read the Opinion Piece, click here

Omnibus Savings and Child Care Reform Bill 2017. Anglicare Australia has made the following submission to reiterate concerns with the Social Services Legislation Amendment (Omnibus Savings and Child Care Reform) Bill 2017. To read the submission, click here

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.