NCOSS eNews

8 December 2022

2023 Policy Platform and positive announcement on sector reform

Our 2023 Policy Platform was launched on Friday 25 November and has now been provided to NSW MPs, along with an offer to meet and talk through our eight priorities, aimed at providing immediate cost of living relief, targeted support for the most vulnerable and a sustainable future for our sector. You can see the media coverage of our policy priorities here, and access the full platform here. You can show your support by signing on at that link.

It was pleasing to see the NSW Opposition commit to a minimum of five year contract terms for the sector, along with the establishment of a taskforce to ensure adequate indexation, improved job security, more consistent and streamlined regulatory arrangements and a review of funding models. This aligns with our Policy Platform, reflects previous NCOSS research and will benefit not only our predominantly female workforce, but also those who access our sector’s services. We look forward to working with all representatives on these important policy priorities.

Advocacy around elections in NSW can trigger additional requirements. Advocacy for policy outcomes in the public interest that benefit vulnerable population groups is one thing; but expenditure aimed at promoting or opposing a particular candidate or party, or influencing voting, is something else. If you are engaged in the latter, you may need to register as a ‘third party campaigner’ and follow other requirements. The Human Rights Law Centre has put together a useful guide for Not-For-Profits to help navigate NSW’s electoral laws which you can access at: NSW Electoral Law | Human Rights Law Centre (hrlc.org.au)

Webinar on Friday and new NCOSS Director of Policy and Advocacy

Garnering support for our priorities – ultimately aimed at tackling poverty and disadvantage in NSW - starts at the local level. To this end we will hold a webinar on Friday 9 December to share tips on engaging with local representatives and candidates. By drawing on the evidence to show how local communities and vulnerable groups are being affected and the straightforward solutions that would make a difference, we can ensure that the voices and concerns of those least heard are firmly in the mix.

Friday’s webinar will be facilitated by our new Director of Policy and Advocacy Ben McAlpine. Ben joins us straight from his role as General Manager, Strategy, Innovation and Growth at mental health organisation Stride (previously After Care). He’s worked in both the corporate and not-for-profit sectors and brings a wealth of skills in program development and delivery, as well as policy, strategy, analysis and advocacy. We are thrilled to have him join us at this critical time – so come along to our advocacy webinar and get to meet him in person!

NCOSS Board update

As well as a new NCOSS team member, we have two new Board Directors joining us. John Leha from AbSec and Karlie Stewart of Weave/Woollongong University were elected from a strong field, along with previous NCOSS Board Directors Wendy Foote, Bev Baker and Jenni Beetson-Mortimer. It is a very impressive and qualified Board, which includes three outstanding First Nations leaders as part of our governance body. Office holders will be elected at the first board meeting of 2023.

This is our final eNews for 2022. Its been another tough year, for the organisations we represent and the communities they support. Thank you to our members, fellow peaks, partners, supporters and friends for the ongoing collaboration and opportunity to work together towards a fairer, more inclusive NSW. All of us at NCOSS wish you a joyful festive season and a safe and restful holiday period. We look forward to doing it all again in 2023! Take care everyone.

We have reached a tipping point where families are being hit by rising costs, stagnant wages, and on top of all that, seemingly never-ending natural disasters. We are calling on policymakers to endorse our Policy Platform and work together to build a fairer NSW.

The eight recommendations include:

1. Respond to rising energy prices: Increase cap on Energy Accounts Payment Assistance vouchers to $1,600 per year.

2. Improve access to dental care: Double funding for public dental outreach services.

3. Make renting more secure and affordable: Replace no grounds evictions with a range of specified reasonable ground.

4. Invest in social infrastructure so essential support reaches those in need: Provide core funding for neighbourhood centres and other similar services.

5. Enhance safety, security and wellbeing for women impacted by domestic and family violence: Construct social housing for the 4,812 women and their children experiencing domestic violence.

6. Bolster children’s safety, social development and educational outcomes: Increase investment in the Targeted Early Intervention Program by 25 per cent.

7. Limit harm caused by pokies on vulnerable communities: Mandate use of a cashless gaming card across NSW venues operating pokies.

8. Strengthen sustainability of the NSW social services sector as a growth industry and key employer of women: Extend standard contract terms to seven and 10 years for rural and remote communities.

Read the NCOSS media release.

Among the litany of issues raised by NCOSS was the ability of clubs to gain “financial or other advantage” by awarding funds to organisations to which they were linked.

Joanna Quilty, the chief executive of NCOSS, said there was nothing in the guidelines governing the grants to stop money being funnelled back into the club.

“There’s ample opportunity for directing funds to their own projects and we found that goes on regularly.”

Quilty said: “There is no reason that, after collecting the poker machine tax, the NSW government couldn’t administer the grants scheme itself without the direct involvement of the clubs industry.”

Read The Guardian article.

A call to action has been developed by NSW Women’s Alliance which brings together a range of organisations working with women, children and LGBTIQ+ people experiencing sexual, domestic, and family violence. By signing the call to action, you are supporting the Action to End Gendered Violence platform and its recommendations:

1. A coordinated, whole-of-government approach to sexual, domestic, and family violence policy in NSW.
2. Commit to intersectional primary prevention to end gendered violence and promote gender equality.
3. Immediate and long-term support for people experiencing and recovering from sexual, domestic, and family violence
4. Safe and appropriate housing for everybody experiencing and recovering from sexual, domestic, and family violence.
5. Reform legal systems and policing for people experiencing sexual, domestic, and family violence.
6. Enable Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to lead change towards ending sexual, domestic, and family violence in their communities.
7. Develop and implement a workforce development plan for the specialist sexual, domestic, and family violence sector.

Sign the NSW Women's Alliance pledge to end gendered violence once and for all here.

These findings highlight the need for interventions into the housing system of the Northern Rivers, in both the medium term to facilitate the recovery process, but also the longer term to improve resilience against future climate disasters.

Specifically, it is recommended governments work with communities and other stakeholders to address eight key shortcomings:

1. Identify clear pathways for people to move out of emergency accommodation and into semi-permanent medium-term housing.
2. Develop more detailed planning around any proposed ‘pod home’ villages.
3. Support tenants from the medium-term failings of the private rental market.
4. Mitigate the impacts of displacement and dislocation from existing community connections.
5. Build capacity for a more deliberate role for local civil society in response to crisis.
6. Resource community response accordingly (not rolling one-offs).
7. Develop housing system intelligence to inform disaster preparedness and recovery planning.
8. Develop a more sustainable ongoing social housing sector.

Read the report.

At 30 June 2021 there were 22,243 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in out-of-home care, with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children 10.4 times more likely to be in out-of-home care than non-Indigenous children.

Only 40.7% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in out-of-home care were placed with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander carers – the lowest proportion in at least 20 years.

Dr Paul Gray, co-chair of Family Matters said 25 years after the tabling of the Bringing Them Home report it was unacceptable that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children continued to be removed from their families at increasing rates.

Read the Family Matters report.

Heading into its 17th year, these awards recognise the amazing nurses, midwives, nurse educators, researchers and personal care workers for their work providing exceptional care across Australia.

Three winners will receive $10,000 to support their future-shaping work thanks to our long-term sponsor ME Bank. The three categories include Nurse of the Year, Midwife of the Year and Outstanding Organisation.

Nominations are open until midnight February 5, 2023, and you can find more information about the awards here.

Awards are sponsored by HESTA.

Sexual and Reproductive Rights for People with Disability
Women with Disabilities Australia
Webinar
13 December 2022
Join us on our upcoming webinar on sexual and reproductive rights for women, girls, feminine identifying and non-binary people with disability.
Read more

Safety, mental health and wellbeing support for service providers
Department of Communities and Justice
Counselling Sessions
Close 30 June 2023
The program provides support, counselling and advice to your staff or immediate family on a range of work and personal matters. This includes workplace conflict, managing relationships and mental health.
Read more

NAB Foundation Community Grants

Close 28 February 2023
The NAB Foundation is currently seeking applications for Community Grants. Grants of up to $10,000 are available for projects that help communities prepare for natural disasters, support long-term recovery and build resilience to future disasters and climate change.
Read more

Strengthening Rural Communities
Close 1 March 2023
The Strengthening Rural Communities (SRC) Prepare & Recover program supports communities in remote, rural and regional communities across Australia to implement initiatives that prevent and prepare for future climate related impacts, or recover from existing disasters through the medium to long term process.
Read more

Aboriginal Affairs NSW Cultural Grants Program
AANSW
Close 14 April 2023
The Aboriginal Affairs NSW Cultural Grants Program supports Aboriginal community organisations across NSW to celebrate Aboriginal culture and hold key cultural events and activities.
Read more

Aboriginal Community Engagement Officer – Energy and Water Ombudsman NSW – VIEW JOB

Sexual Violence Prevention Program Lead – LGBTIQ+ Health Australia – VIEW JOB

Administrative Services Team Leader – NSW STARTTS – VIEW JOB

Aboriginal Team Leader – Macarthur Family and Youth Services – VIEW JOB

Community Development Worker Positions – Dundas Area Neighbourhood Centre – VIEW JOB

Women’s Health Centre Manager – Blue Mountains Women’s Health and Resource Centre – VIEW JOB