4 May 2023

4 May 2023

Bon voyage, Joanna!

This week, we bid Joanna ‘bon voyage’ as she embarks on her Churchill Fellowship, looking at the role of front line community organisations in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from disasters.

This will take her to New Zealand, the US, and Canada. Her report will provide interesting insights into how best to ensure the NSW disaster management system takes full advantage of existing social infrastructure to ensure the needs of vulnerable individuals, families and communities are kept, front and centre, in decision making.

While Joanna is away, I’m taking on the role of Acting CEO. I’m looking forward to working with you all, in that capacity, until Joanna’s return in the middle of June.

Mapping Economic Disadvantage in NSW – 2023

Last Thursday, we released new research that updates the 2019 Mapping Economic Disadvantage in NSW report. Conducted by the University of Canberra’s National Centre for Social and Economic Modelling (NATSEM) and using the latest 2021 Census data, the research breaks down poverty rates to give us a sophisticated picture of where people living with economic disadvantage are located, and who they are. This includes their age, gender, employment, family arrangements, and housing tenure.

The research shows the dire situation across NSW, and how poverty has varying impacts on different communities. It shows a deepening divide in Greater Sydney with disturbing increases in poverty across the city’s west and south-west; how certain groups in rural and regional NSW face significantly higher rates of poverty, including the unemployed, single parents and young people; that older people have experienced an alarming growth in poverty; that poverty rates for renters in both the public and private markets have increased substantially; and how significant economic disadvantage disproportionately impacts Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities, and people with a disability.

The key take out? Poverty is devastating. However, it is also solvable. We just need our governments to act.

I would encourage you all to read the reports and use the tools we have developed. They are designed to help all those involved in the sector, our elected officials, and people across government to better understand how poverty affects local communities so that we can collectively take the necessary action.

You can read more about the research, tools, findings and recommendations in the first article below.

Meetings with Ministers

Last Thursday, Joanna had a meeting with the new Treasurer, the Hon Daniel Mookhey, while Joanna and I both met with the new Minister for Families and Communities, and Minister for Disability Inclusion, the Hon Kate Washington. We reiterated our readiness and willingness to work with the new NSW Government on the many and pressing issues the state faces.

This includes gambling reform, fit-for-purpose funding and contracting arrangements for the sector along with a jobs compact, as well as prioritising spending in areas that will make a real difference to people who are living with poverty and disadvantage.

We know that upfront investments in our sector – and in initiatives like social and affordable housing – will also have significant upside benefits to the NSW economy. While we are certainly encouraged by the commitments made during the election and the desire to make the necessary investments, we will continue to strongly advocate and hold the new Government to account.

Last week, in a joint letter with the ASU’s Secretary for NSW and the ACT, Angus McFarland, NCOSS also wrote to the Treasurer, Minister Washington and the new Health Minister, the Hon Ryan Park, outlining the urgent need for adequate and consistent indexation for sector organisations receiving NSW Government funding.

The latest ABS CPI update shows that inflation to the end of the 2023 March quarter is sitting at 7 per cent. At the very least, funding to our vitally important sector must not go backwards due to inadequate indexation, particularly in the face of growing demand for services.

Raise the Rate

In the lead up to next week’s federal Budget, ACOSS has been among those leading the call for a substantial increase in Jobseeker and related payments, like Youth Allowance. Raising the rate is the single, most important recommendation made by the Australian Parliament's Committee for Economic Inclusion and NCOSS stands with ACOSS, the COSS network, and sector organisations across Australia, in asking the Albanese Government to do the right thing.

With the consensus across the business, economists, academics, and advocates that forcing the most disadvantaged to live on $50 a day is simply cruel – and with unemployment rates at historic lows – there has never been a better time to do what we all know is needed.

With the ongoing speculation about potential changes to JobSeeker, we’ll be glued to the budget night broadcast next Tuesday. #Raise the Rate #For All

The 2023 Mapping Economic Disadvantage in NSW project tells the story of poverty and economic disadvantage in NSW by analysing and mapping poverty rates. By undertaking this project, NCOSS aims to draw attention to the nature and extent of poverty – including the demographic groups most impacted - in different NSW regions, inform local community and service planning, and advocate for policies to address poverty and disadvantage. The target audiences include policy analysts, planners, decision-makers in the social service sector, academia, and state and local government.

The research breaks down poverty rates and gives us a sophisticated picture of where people living with disadvantage are located and who they are – including their age, sex, employment, family arrangements, and housing tenure. It shows us that the characteristics of disadvantaged people can vary strikingly from one community to another. It also shows us how the picture of significant economic disadvantage has changed since 2016.

There are two reports for this research:

The “latte line” dividing Sydney’s western and eastern suburbs is hardening, with new research identifying deepening levels of poverty within already disadvantaged areas and groups.

A report commissioned by the New South Wales Council of Social Services (NCOSS) also found one in five renters are among more than 1 million people living in poverty in the state.

The report revealed the overall poverty rate has remained largely stable but that it has worsened for key groups in Sydney including people over 65, people living alone and unemployed people. The situation has likely worsened since the data was collected at the 2021 census due to the rising cost of living and other financial pressures.

Impact Economics’ lead economist, Angela Jackson, said governments needed to look not just at the cost of eradicating poverty but at the human and economic cost of poverty on the state.

“It should be our number one economic priority to be reducing the rates of poverty but we’ve just seen a complete failure over the last 20 or 30 years,” she said.

Read the Guardian article by Tamsin Rose and Josh Nicholas.

The new Mapping Economic Disadvantage in NSW research, commissioned by NCOSS and undertaken by NATSEM at the University of Canberra, has received a lot of media interest, especially in the regions where it’s been reported in the local press and NCOSS CEO, Joanna Quilty, has been widely interviewed for local radio and television news.

One of the very concerning findings of the report is that, across NSW, the housing crisis is pushing more people into poverty with private renters and public housing tenants increasingly falling below the poverty line. The research shows:

Public housing tenants have the highest rate of poverty (60 per cent) of all demographic groups across NSW.
There are pockets in Sydney – such as Zetland and Springwood – where 100 per cent of public housing tenants now live below the poverty line.
And the issue is not confined to Sydney – 100 per cent of public housing tenants in Mullumbimby on the Far North Coast, and Lake Munmorah on the Central Coast are also living in poverty.
In regional NSW, there’s also been a sharp increase in the number of people paying off a mortgage who are living below the poverty line – up by more than 80 per cent since 2016.
The growing trend of people reliant on income support payments (such as JobSeeker or Youth Allowance) or working part-time, moving into others’ households (family, friends or other informal arrangements) because government support payments are inadequate.

Read NCOSS' Housing Crisis Pushes More into Poverty media release.
Read our media releases for Murray & Riverina, Coffs Harbour & Mid North Coast, and Central West.

We’ve also included a couple of articles featuring our research and you can see them below.

The high cost of living and the housing crisis in NSW is driving more people into poverty. The number of people suffering financial stress in regional areas now outstrips Sydney. Research commissioned by the NSW Council of Social Service shows increases in particular age groups slipping below the poverty line, especially those in the over-65 age group. Some of these people are finding themselves in a homeless situation for the very first time.

NCOSS is urging the NSW Government to implement of a range of recommendations, including bolstering the supply of social housing and advocating for the Australian Government to lift the rate of income support payments to above the poverty line, and increase Commonwealth Rent Assistance by 50%, to enable an acceptable standard of living for recipients.

“This is a wake up call for us all,” NCOSS CEO, Joanna Quilty.

Watch the 7News New England report here.

Read the ABC article.
Read the Singleton Argus article.

Almost everyday for the last few months the Tenants’ Union has received calls or emails from journalists asking us to talk about the rental crisis and its impact on people’s lives. They ask, “How bad is it? Is this the worst you’ve seen?” I’ve been working at the Tenants’ Union for over 10 years. When I started we were already talking about a crisis. Rents were unaffordable, competition for rentals often fierce, and renters faced significant insecurity making it very hard to ask for basic things like repairs.

Read the Tenants Union blog by Jemima Mowbray here.

126 organisations signed Change the Record's open letter to Attorneys General nationwide calling for an end to children as young as 10 years old being arrested, thrown into police vehicles and locked away behind bars across Australia.

Tell your politicians that you support raising the age. Change The Record have created a helpful email template here to assist in you contacting your local Attorney-General.

Sign the Petition to #RaiseTheAge of criminal responsibility from 10 years old to at least 14 years old.

The former head of the states bus network will lead a high-powered taskforce to examine the privatisation of the city’s bus services amid chronic delays and driver shortages. The taskforce will look at the equity of bus operations across the community and review routes region by region, as well as service delivery.

Former chief executive of State Transit John Lee, who has also headed up private bus companies, has been appointed to lead the taskforce which was a key public transport election commitment.

Also on the new taskforce are the peak body for private buses and coaches BusNSW, the NSW Council of Social Service, Local Government NSW and transport unions.

Read the Sydney Morning Herald article here.

Post Budget Event
ACOSS
In Person Event
15 May 2023

The ACOSS Post Budget Event is the key annual event for civil society and the community services sector, 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.

Speakers:

MC: Hang Vo, ACOSS President
The Hon Dr Jim Chalmers MP, Treasurer
Catherine Liddle, CEO, SNAICC – National Voice for our Children
Leanne Ho, CEO, Economic Justice Australia (EJA)
Dr Elizabeth Deveny, CEO, Consumers Health Forum of Australia
Chris Richardson, Economist
Sam Thomas, Lived experience expert
Dr Cassandra Goldie, CEO, ACOSS

Healing our Sector
AbSec
Conference
13 - 14 June 2023

The biennial NSW Aboriginal Child & Family Conference is a key event for those working with Aboriginal children and families in NSW. Our conference theme this year will be 'Healing our Sector'.

While we'll discuss strategies for involving Aboriginal youth, families and communities in developing services and systemic change; we'll also be using the conference to perform an industry health check, giving our sector a chance to be heard and discuss methods of self-care and improvement during a time of unprecedented change, upheaval and environmental challenges.

This year's conference aims to also share best practices, celebrate our achievements and set future directions for delivering better outcomes for Aboriginal children and young people and their families and communities.

Register here.

National Disability Data Asset
Webinar
2 May 2023

Join us for a public webinar about the National Disability Data Asset (disability data asset).

This is an opportunity to learn more about:

What is the disability data asset.
How it will benefit people with disability, their carers and families.
How it will be valuable for governments, researchers and other organisations.
How the information will be kept safe and privacy protected.
How the disability data asset will be co-governed by governments and the disability community. This includes information about the arrangements for the Council and the Charter, to ensure data is only used for agreed reasons

Asset Based Community Development (ABCD) training
City of Sydney
19 May 2023

This free training hosted by the City of Sydney and facilitated by the Jeder Institute is all about building capacity through an asset and strengths-based framework to help you thrive in a community services workplace.

It will build on the knowledge and skills you developed in community engagement and development and will focus on shifting organisational and community mindsets. Together, we will dig deeper into the ABCD concepts of:

Strengths versus Needs
Building on What’s Strong, not What’s Wrong
Becoming “defenders of the small”
Participatory Community Building

Changes to Workplace Laws: What Your NFP Needs to Know
Justice Connect’s Not-for-profit Law and Lander & Rogers
23 May 2023

Recent reforms to workplace laws include extensive changes to the Fair Work Act, new sexual harassment laws, and rules about managing risks to mental health in the workplace.

Are you up to date? Are you concerned about how upcoming restrictions on the use of fixed term contracts might affect your not-for-profit?

Join Justice Connect’s Not-for-profit Law, and a guest presenter from Lander & Rogers; specialist workplace law team, as we unpack key reforms and answer some frequently asked questions.

Register here.