At the time of writing a Federal Election has just been called for 21 August and the election campaign is well and truly underway. While it is very hard to predict exactly what will emerge during the campaign the position of the social and community services sector is pretty clear –all political parties and politicians must address the needs of those affected by poverty and inequality.

NCOSS will be joining with ACOSS to advocate for:

• Better support for the long term unemployed to help them get work;
• A fairer system of income support for those who need it;
• Greater investment in social housing;
• Ongoing commitment to reduce homelessness and risk of homelessness;
• A health system that coordinates and integrates health promotion and primary care and improves access to health services with better health outcomes for low income Australians;
• Greater investment in both oral health and mental health;
• Action to close the gap in health, education and employment for aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people; and
• A genuine commitment to address climate change and to introduce measures to mitigate the impact on low income and vulnerable households

We will also be calling for support to provide new and full funding of any increases awarded by Fair Work Australia in the application for an Equal Remuneration Order for social and community service workers in recognition of the role of the sector in providing support and assistance to at least 6.5 million Australians living on low incomes. This is crucial for the sustainability of social services where demand for support far outstrips supply and most services are already struggling to attract and retain workers.

Commonwealth Governments have an important and increasingly influential role on many programs and services delivered by the State Government. The outcome of the Federal Election will have an impact on the priorities and approaches taken by the NSW Government following the State Election next March. Many of the issues we will be highlighting in the federal election are not that much different to those issues we are campaigning for as part of Vote 1 Fairness in NSW – at their heart is a belief that improving the opportunities for those who are struggling is the right thing to do and that we are all better off from doing so.

ACOSS has developed more detailed positions on all of the issues outlined and will be coordinating the COSS network and the broader sector in campaigning around them. These are issues that really matter to NCOSS and our members but are often overlooked in political campaigns driven more by polling and focus groups than vision and leadership. It’s important that we join with ACOSS in highlighting these issues to a broader audience and seeking support for fairer outcomes for those who are doing it tough.

For more information about the ACOSS campaign and how you can participate:

website: www.acoss.org.au