20 April 2023

20 April 2023

Two weeks in for the new Government's Ministry

Just over two weeks on from the new NSW Government's Ministry being sworn in, and we are already seeing the winds of change sweep through as our new Premier and his Cabinet start implementing their priorities – a shakeup of the health system, changes at the most senior levels of the public service, major infrastructure projects put on hold, and the decision to pull apart super department/cluster arrangements that have been in place for years under the previous government.

What this will mean for the communities and justice portfolio and frontline community service providers is yet to unfold. But we do know, from our February FONGA meeting, that Minister Kate Washington understands that the child protection system is failing kids and families, that she sees early intervention and timely support as a priority, and that she wants to rebuild the foundations of a service system she believes have been eroded over the last 12 years.

We also know that the new NSW Government has committed to a taskforce to pursue funding reform and a jobs compact for our sector, five-year contracts as the norm for key services, and a pre-qualification scheme to avoid duplicative processes across different programs.

On all these matters the devil is in the detail and it will be important that the expertise of the sector is drawn on so that we are not merely passive recipients of reform. It's our on-the-ground knowledge, connection to communities and understanding of what does and doesn't work, that stands to make the difference.

NCOSS has secured a meeting with Minister Washington in the coming week, where we will loudly and proudly champion the need for the NSW Government to partner with the sector in the overhaul a service system that's simply not delivering for those most in need.

Raise the Rate for Good!

Ahead of the federal Budget on 9 May, the Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee – chaired by Jenny Macklin and established by the Albanese Government in December last year to provide budget advice on how to address disadvantage – has released its report.

It sends a clear message that JobSeeker and related payments are grossly inadequate and must be raised as a "first prority."

ACOSS was represented on the Committee and is calling for income support payments to be increased to at least $76 a day and for rental assistance to be doubled. You can read the ACOSS media release here.

The ACOSS post budget breakfast, which is being held on 15 May, will be your opportunity to hear from the federal Treasurer and a panel of experts on what the federal Budget means for our sector and the people doing it toughest. Scroll down to Sector Events for registration details.

The Voice debate

Nationally we are also seeing some commentary and debate on the proposed Voice to Parliament playing out in a way that is divisive and incendiary. This is unhelpful and distressing for Aboriginal families and communities. Read AbSec’s response to recent developments below.

And please sign up for our upcoming webinar on how non-Indigenous organisations can promote cultural safety and wellbeing for their Aboriginal staff during what will be a stressful and difficult time. It's free.

NCOSS has launched our Cost of Living in NSW 2023 survey.

The Cost of Living in NSW project seeks to get a better understanding of the impact of cost-of-living changes on low-income households – including those living below the poverty line – across NSW. We are calling on our members and networks to share the survey with the people you support, so we can ensure there's a range of responses, including from people living in metropolitan, regional, rural and remote areas.

In 2022, we regionalised the survey for the first time to provide statistically significant data to the SA4 level. This has enabled us to understand how different locations, as well as demographic groups, are being impacted. We also supplemented the survey data with focus groups, which gave us a fuller picture of the struggles households are facing. Both the regionalised data and the focus groups have proven extremely useful in our advocacy efforts and those of our members, particularly in the lead up to the state election.

For 2023, we will again use this approach, which will enable us to monitor year-on-year differences, particularly given the increasing cost-of-living challenges that have emerged since our last survey.

Does your program service multicultural communities?

This year, we will also include a focus on multicultural communities who we know can experience higher rates of disadvantage and face other challenges when it comes to dealing with cost-of-living pressures. For the first time, the Cost of Living survey has been translated into Vietnamese and Arabic. We will also be running focus groups with Arabic and Vietnamese speakers.

We are keen to get in contact with any agencies working with these communities, particularly in South-West Sydney or the Riverina, to start recruitment for these focus groups. Email advocacy@ncoss.org.au to find out how your service can get involved.

This is a great opportunity to highlight that low-income households, particularly those below the poverty line and contending with other complexities, are up against it, and the practical actions that the new NSW Government can take to ease the pressure.

NCOSS recognises that the lead up to the Referendum will be stressful for many First Nations people, with a variety of commentary being played out in the media and within organisations.

Our approach to supporting the sector and First Nations colleagues through this process begins with a free webinar for organisations seeking to understand the impacts of the referendum on First Nations staff and communities. The webinar will outline strategies and practices to address racism and strengthen cultural humility and safety in non-Indigenous organisations.

For more information and to register, click here.

New research commissioned by NCOSS shows 1 million people in NSW are living below the poverty line.

The preliminary findings from the National Centre for Social and Economic Modelling (NATSEM) drew on 2021 census data. It revealed that another 100,000 people slipped into poverty since the 2016 census — and over half of them were aged over 65.

"Social housing is completely out of reach for so many people … the amount of social housing stock has gone backwards," NCOSS CEO, Joanna Quilty said.

"The stock available needs to keep pace with population growth, demand and with this rising rate of poverty."

"We've got an affordable housing crisis on our hands, that it's people who are renting who make up 40% of people living below the poverty line."

See Joanna Quilty interviewed on ABC News and read the accompanying article here.

NSW Child, Family and Community Peak Aboriginal Corporation (AbSec) CEO, John Leha, has responded to comments made in Alice Springs by the Federal Opposition Leader:

Sexual abuse is not a political football and has a devastating impact on individuals, families and communities. The effects can last a lifetime with ongoing psychological trauma and suffering, and physical injuries. It is a legal requirement that abuse and neglect is reported even if suspected.

In solidarity with SNAICC, AbSec call on the Opposition leader to engage in an evidenced based discussion. Aboriginal peoples have been raising strong, healthy children for millennia. Our communities are the experts in raising happy, healthy and resilient children, and our children are made stronger by the richness of their culture.

Read AbSec's full media release here.

The Australian Government has set up a Committee to look at the proposed wording of the question which will be asked of Australians at the referendum. It is also looking at the proposed words which will be included in the Constitution if the referendum is successful.

You can show your support for the current amendment and the Voice to Parliament by making your own submission. The more people the Committee hears from, the more chance they’ll listen!

Read the whole of the Uluru Dialogue's call for people to make submissions in support of the proposed amendments here. A webform for making submissions and some suggestions on what to include is at the bottom of the page.

Submissions close Friday, 21 April 2023.

In recent years, there has been significant discussion in Australia about the distribution of
income and wealth. The Australia Institute has contributed to those discussions.

According to their new research, inequality has soared in Australia over the last decade with the bottom 90% of Australians receiving just 7% of economic growth per person since 2009, while the top 10% of income earners reap 93% of the benefits. This is a major shift in wealth distribution in Australia. As recently as the 1960s, the bottom 90% received around 90% of the benefits.

Read The Australian Institute report here.

See the Australia Institute's Executive Director, Richard Denniss, explain the research on ABC News here.

Community services, including disability, family violence and homelessness organisations, are at breaking point and facing a staffing crisis due to years of inadequate government funding, new research shows.

This Federal Budget the Government must:

Fund the full cost of service delivery, including infrastructure, management, workforce development and administration costs in all Commonwealth grants and contracts for community services.
Create a fairer tax system to fund quality essential services and a social security system that meets need starting by cancelling stage 3 tax cuts.
Lift base rates of income support payments like JobSeeker and Youth Allowance to at least $76 a day.

Read the At the Precipice: Australia's Community Sector through the Cost-of-living Crisis report here.

The Premier has announced his new Ministry with David Harris MP, the Member for Wyong, as the new Minister for Gaming and Racing. The first days for the new Minister will set the course for gambling reform over the next four years.

The Wesley Mission is calling on those who are concerned about pokies harm to sound louder than the industry lobbyists knocking on his door by emailing the new Minister. This will help ensure meaningful reform is a top priority.

Wesley Mission's guide on how you can email the new Gaming and Racing Minister can be downloaded here.

Read Wesley Missions top 5 key pokies reforms here.

Ngunya Jarjum Aboriginal Child and Family Network invites Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander residents of Northern NSW to participate in the Planning For Disaster (PFD) project:

In recent years we have experienced various disasters with devastating impacts. This project has been developed to increase disaster & emergency planning and improved safety across Aboriginal communities in Northern NSW. You are invited to be part of the project by undertaking two short surveys and creating a household disaster plan.

The Planning for Disaster website provides participants with links to helpful resources, including how to develop your own household plan, which can be placed in a visible area in your home. This is so all household members have access to disaster & emergency information. A small project incentive is offered for each survey and plan created to the total of $30.

Read Ngunya Jarjum's flyer about the project here.

To take the survey and find out more, click here.

Nominations for the 2023 HESTA Early Childhood Education & Care Awards have now opened.

Since 2010, the national awards have recognised the front-line educators and carers at the very heart of Australia’s early childhood education system. Anyone involved in the delivery of these services can nominate, or be nominated, across three categories, including Advancing Pedagogy & Practice, Individual Leadership and Outstanding Service, with winners sharing in a prize pool of $30,000.

Nominate now.

NSW Youth Week 2022
20 - 30 April 2023

There will be a range of activities, opportunities and events for young people to enjoy throughout the State. This year’s theme, as set by the NSW Youth Advisory Council, is Connect. Participate. Celebrate. We encourage you to embrace the theme in your NSW Youth Week activities.

For information and to see what’s on, click here.

ACOSS Post Budget Event
15 May 2023

The ACOSS Post Budget Event is the key annual event for civil society and the community services sector across Australia, providing a space for attendees to receive briefings on key budget measures and their likely impacts on people experiencing poverty and inequality. The event will provide the opportunity for the Treasurer to address the community sector directly and for the community sector to engage in conversation following the release of the Federal Budget. The event will also include an in-depth Budget analysis from ACOSS, an engaging discussion with a panel of experts, and ample opportunity for networking.

Register here.

Sexuality and respectful relationships workshop
People With Disability Australia
Ongoing

Friendships, relationships and sex provide great happiness for many people. However, understanding how to navigate relationships and sex can be challenging for anyone. If you have a disability – especially an intellectual disability – the challenges can sometimes be a bit more complex. Designed for people with intellectual and cognitive impairment, this eight-hour, face-to-face workshop presented over two days is about exploring and understanding the different kinds of relationships that people can have in their lives

Register here.

Reinventing schools to support learning & wellbeing for all
Australian Human Rights Commission
10 May 2023
Online

This webinar argues that now is the time to reimagine schools to become places which focus on the whole child’s health, wellbeing and learning. How can we make schools places that amplify children’s physical and mental wellbeing, give children the opportunity to thrive and make them lifelong learners?

Register here.

Family time: Supporting positive and lasting connections for children in care
Family and Community Services Insights, Analysis and Research (FACSIAR)
23 May 2023
Online

A meaningful connection to family and kin helps children in out-of-home care develop a sense of belonging and hope. Family time is an important way of fostering long-lasting connections by helping children manage the pain of separation from their birth families. It helps them know who they are and feel that they are valued. This webinar will focus on how to best support positive and lasting connections for children in care by providing key research insights and by exploring practice approaches that support meaningful family time.

Register here.