The development of this draft legislation shows that commitment to the fundamental principles of choice, flexibility, and individualised support has not waivered. Overall, the objects are clear with transparency and accountability strong attributes. There are remaining questions however around the interaction of the terms carer, registered provider and plan nominee.

This document provides a brief summary of Anglicare Australia’s submission to the Senate Community Affairs Committee Inquiry into Social Security and Other legislation Amendment (Disability Support Pension Impairment Tables) Bill 2012 in August 2011. Please refer to Anglicare Australia’s submission for more information.

Anglicare Australia's submission to the NFP Sector Tax Concessions Working Group

Submission in-brief to the Aged Care Financing Authority’s draft recommendations on accommodation payments in residential care.

The Family Support Program delivers valuable support to families seeking to build and maintain healthy relationships. The once shared vision of how the FSP achieved this end has now evolved down divergent paths. Anglicare Australia providers are keen to maintain the universality of service delivery and engage with the Department on how disadvantage and vulnerability are embedded into service delivery.

Anglicare Australia applauds Minister Ludwig and the Department for undertaking work on a coordinated National Food Plan. Given the current debates over economic volatility, energy production and population sustainability, the basic necessities of water management, food production and food security are being called increasingly into question. Anglicare Australia notes the green paper on the proposed Food Plan has taken an economic approach – looking at international investment, production possibilities and market shares. It also touches on social aspects such as the need for Australians to have access to safe and nutritious food. However, the plan does not go nearly far enough to explore and address the very real risk of food insecurity for individuals and families – particularly those on very low incomes – and its consequences.

Often those in receipt of benefits, especially those who are on long-term benefits, come from an intergenerational history of disadvantage and unemployment. Lower levels of education combined with poor health, deprivation, stigmatisation and mental health conditions has led to a lower starting point from which to be able to acquire sustainable employment. Poverty is a great inhibitor to employment and research in Australia shows that for some families, namely those on Newstart , poverty is persistent through generations.

Anglicare Australia commends the Minister for Homelessness, the Hon Brendan O’Connor, for following through on the Government’s promise to establish legislation which enshrines a commitment to quality service provision aiming to end homelessness for people who are homeless or who are at risk of becoming so. The draft Bill is a laudable addition to the foundational documents which represent the experience of homelessness in Australia and how we, collectively, mean to overcome it. There are, however, elements of the draft Bill which have given us pause and these, along with those elements that we would particularly like to commend, are provided for consideration.

Anglicare Australia like many organisations in the community sector has grave concerns over this amendment not only in regard to the grandfathering arrangements but for the policy as a whole of moving parents, single parents in particular, onto the lower Newstart allowance.

Anglicare Australia commends Ministers Shorten and Collins along with both Treasury and FaHCSIA for the diligence they have shown in pursuing the consumer credit protection reforms. Financial exclusion, in all its forms, is a major barrier to meaningful participation and this suite of reforms assists people living on low incomes participate in society as other more financially secure individuals have the opportunity to do.