Please click HERE for a PDF version of this newsletter.

Finding the right balance

Anne Tuohey

Media commentary on Australian politics continues to be full of the same messages, indicating that we lack a strong narrative on where Australia is going. We rely too heavily on some sectors, especially the mining sector, at the expense of others. We lack a common purpose, and the community has lost confidence.

Click HERE to read this article in full.

Photo balance scale by winifredxoxo, flickr cc.

SPC Forums

Held at The Study Centre, Yarra Theological Union
34 Bedford Street, Box Hill.

Entry by donation. Tea/coffee and snacks served afterwards.

Australia’s income security system & the abandonment of equity
Dr Philip Mendes, Director Social Inclusion & Social Policy Research Unit, Monash University
Wednesday 22 August 2012 7:30pm

Those who can work should, and those who cannot should be properly supported to achieve a full life. How does Australia fare in relation to this? Philip Mendes’s talk promises an honest examination of unemployment and income support in Australia. He suggests a better way, advocating for a participation income which incorporates activities to enhance wellbeing and connection. Click HERE for a flyer for this event.

Peace with people, peace with our planet: a Franciscan perspective
Friar Joseph Rozansky
Friday 31 August 2012 7:30-9pm

Director in Rome of the Franciscan Secretariat for Justice, Peace, & the Integrity of Creation (JPIC), which coordinates Franciscan networks around the world for justice, environment, and peace. Joseph led the Franciscan group at the Rio+20 Summit this year. Click HERE for a flyer for this event.

Race Mathews: Why co-operatives are important

Anne Tuohey

Co-operatives have played a major role in taming problems in capitalist economics, and can do so in the future as well, according to Dr Race Mathews, speaking at an SPC forum on 25 July. This year is the United Nations International Year of the Co-operative. Against the background of the global financial crisis, Dr Mathews pointed to co-operatives as an alternative way to organise capitalist eocnomies, ensuring people working in an enterprise could share in ownership and management of their firms, enhance their control over their own jobs, and ensure increased equity and social participation.

Click HERE to read this article in full.

See below for the podcast of Race Matthews’ presentation.

Books available from SPC

Santamaria’s Salesman: Working for the National Catholic Rural Movement 1959-1961

By Kevin Peoples
Special discount $40 plus postage.

Sufficient for the Day: Towards a Sustainable Culture

By Geoff Lacey
$20 plus postage

Towards a Better World

By Arthur Gibbs (an SPC member who worked as an economist)
$15 plus postage

Network Events

Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez, President Caritas Internationalis
Challenging social exclusion & building a fairer world
Tuesday 14 August 5:30-7:30pm

Cardinal Knox Centre, 383 Albert Street, East Melbourne
RSVP margaret@caritas.org.au
From Honduras, Cardinal oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga is a staunch defender of human rights, especially in the fight against global poverty. Click HERE for a flyer for this event.

Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez with Fr Frank Brennan
Indigenous peoples of the world
Sunday 19 August 5pm

Newman College, 887 Swanston Street, Parkville

Human Rights Matters! Conference
Wednesday 17 October

See our website for further information

New on our website

The podcast of Race Mathews’ talk at SPC 25 July on Why co-operatives are important. Click HERE.

Kevin Peoples’ article, From Fear & Control to Freedom & Hope. Click HERE.

More SPC videos

Click HERE to view more SPC videos.

Please click HERE for a PDF version of this newsletter

Looking for solutions in seeking asylum in Australia

By Anne Tuohey

The human tragedy of so many asylum seekers drowning as they make their treacherous journey to Australia continues to be a scourge on our collective conscience. Many Australians have lobbied the government – indeed the parliament – to embrace a compassionate response to asylum seekers, whose desperation drives them to take these dangerous journeys.

Click HERE to read this article in full.

Photo Offshore winds on the SS Gairloch shipwreck by dcysurfer/Dave Young, flickr cc

SPC Forums

Dr Race Matthews: Cooperatives, social equity, & participation

Wednesday 25 July 2012 7:30pm

The Study Centre, Yarra Theological Union, 34 Bedford Street, Box Hill. Entry by donation. Tea/coffee and nibbles available.

A prolific writer on cooperatives and how they might contribute to improved economic life in Australia, Dr Race Matthews has studied what we could learn from one of the phenomenal cooperatives at Mondragon in Spain, particularly in developing enterprises which enhance equity and participation.

Click HERE for a flyer for this event.

Coming in August

Dr Philip Mendes: Australia’s income security system and the abandonment of equity

Could you live on the $35 a day provided by NewStart?

Kevin Peoples’ account of the Catholic Rural Movement

By Anne Tuohey

Kevin Peoples knew he had a fascinating story to tell that would provide a personal first-hand insight into the world of the National Catholic Rural Movement and Bob Santamaria. Kevin spent 6 years writing Santamaria’s Salesman: Working for the National Catholic Rural Movement 1959-1961. Those who braved a particularly cold June evening to hear Kevin speak were rewarded with a fascinating story. He interwove aspects of the history and purpose of the movement with his own perspective on growing up Catholic in the 1950s in a small country town.

Click HERE to read this article in full.

Click HERE for the podcast of Kevin’s presentation.

Books available from SPC

Santamaria’s Salesman: Working for the National Catholic

Rural Movement 1959-1961

By Kevin Peoples

Special discount $40 plus postage.

Sufficient for the Day: Towards a Sustainable Culture

By Geoff Lacey

$20 plus postage

Towards a Better World

By Arthur Gibbs (an SPC member who worked as an economist)

$15 plus postage

Network Events

Leaving refugees in limbo

Public meeting held by Refugee Action Collective (Vic)

Wednesday 11 July 6:30pm

The Multicultural Hub, 506 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne

refugeeactioncollective@gmail.com, or Chris 0403 013 183

Speakers Declan Murphy (Refugee Action Collective), Niromi de Soyza (Author Tamil Tigress), Harvey Stern (President Labor for Refugees), Brian Walters SC (human rights lawyer).

This public meeting will discuss indefinite detention for refugees, and call for their release into the community.

Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez (President Caritas Internationalis) with Fr Frank Brennan

Indigenous peoples of the world

Sunday 19 August 5pm

Newman College, 887 Swanston Street, Parkville.

New on our website

The podcast of Kevin Peoples’ talk at SPC 20 June on his book Santamaria’s Salesman: Working for the National Catholic Rural Movement 1959-1961. Click HERE.

Bill Frilay on US drones – are they ethical? Click HERE.

Social Policy Connections featured video

Santamaria’s Salesman: Working for the National Catholic Rural Movement 1959-1961
Click HERE if the video does not display properly

Click HERE to view more SPC videos

Asylum seekers: time for a fresh start

by Bruce Duncan

The High Court has torpedoed the Gillard Government’s attempt to swap asylum seekers with Malaysia, and may well end prospects of processing others offshore in PNG or Nauru. Yet in the heightened politicisation of the debate it is hard to be optimistic that good sense will prevail.

Despite the pleas of the churches and community groups to end mandatory detention, offshore or onshore, on humanitarian grounds, some politicians and shrill opponents of asylum seekers can readily stir up fears in the community, including political parties.

Why do a few thousand men, women and children arriving in boats frighten so many? People who come by air and claim asylum are allowed to move straight into the community and have work rights. No one is concerned about them. In recent decades, hundreds of thousands of immigrants and refugees have settled in Australia, to our country’s lasting benefit. And most of our forebears sought refuge and a better life here. Please click HERE to read the full article.

Sufficient for the Day: towards a sustainable culture

Australia’s overseas aid improving

by Bill Frilay

Australia is significantly lifting the quantity of its overseas aid, as well as improving the quality of that aid, and putting in place ways to ensure that aid efforts are working well, according to Mr Marc Purcell. Executive Director of the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID).

Speaking at an SPC public forum in Melbourne on 16 August, Marc said that these changes were an Australian contribution to meet the Millennium Development Goals and a response to new challenges to aid efforts, arising from voices demanding that Australia restrict its aid to groups within this country, and also to the changes in why, how and where aid is needed. Please click HERE to read Bill Frilay’s full report on Marc’s address. Click HERE for a podcast of the talk. Please click HERE for a video clip of his address.

Melbourne launch Building Bridges, not Walls:Prisons and the Justice System
with Fr Joe Caddy,
CEO CatholicCare, Melbourne
Respondent – Sr Mary O’Shannassy SGS
Thursday 15 September, 11.30 for 12 noon
Cathedral Room, Cardinal Knox Centre,
383 Albert St., East Melbourne
RSVP justice@cam.org.au, or 9926 5710 by 12 September
For further resources contact
www.socialjustice.catholic.org.au/
See also I was in Prison and you visited Me by the National Council of Churches in Australia at www.ncca.org.au/departments/social-justice

Bishop Joe Grech memorial lecture

“One Human Family Across Borders”

with the Federal Immigration Minister,

the Hon. Chris Bowen &  Bishop Christopher Prowse of Sale

facilitated by SBS presenter, Anton Enus

at Australian Catholic University, Fitzroy

Thursday 8 September 7 – 9pm.

The event will be available as a live webcast at www.catholic.org.au and on www.acmro.catholic.org.au

Organised by the Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference

Churches & Public Policy Conference

More than 65 people attended the SPC conference on “The Churches and Public Policy” in Abbotsford on 19 July to hear Mr Robert Fitzgerald’s address on the role of the churches in public policy. Robert was speaking as a private citizen, and not as a member of the Productivity Commission.

Robert pointed to reasons for optimism. Firstly, faith-based organisations are by nature optimistic, drawing as they do from the gospel message. Secondly, Australia has achieved much in respect of social policy, and church organisations have been at the centre of this.  Thirdly, we have the wit and the wisdom to continue to strive for a better world.  How to do this is the challenge. Please click HERE to read more.

Click HERE if the video does not display properly

Click HERE to view more SPC videos

by Bruce Duncan
Economic commentators watched in shocked disbelief at the appalling politics that pushed the US government to the edge of default and imposed major cuts to public spending that will undermine prospects of a US and global recovery.

The Tea Party champions in the Republican Party displayed the very worst populism that threatens to bring the mighty US economy to its knees. Instead of learning from the mistakes of the global financial crisis, the Tea Party would compound them by refusing to raise taxes on the very rich, and unashamedly wants to cut spending on social services, heath and education.

In their naïve zealotry, the Tea Party extremists are like kamikaze pilots attacking their own ships, threatening to destroy the growth engines of western capitalism. Click HERE to read more. Photo: ‘MyEyeSees’, flickr CC

Australia, aid and global development

Presented by Marc Purcell
SPC Public Forum with Marc Purcell, Executive Director Australian Council for International Development
Tuesday 16 August, 7.30pm

Study Centre, Yarra Theological Union,
98 Albion Rd., Box Hill.
Best entry via 34 Bedford St.
Click HERE for directions. Contact SPC: 0457 146 808 admin@socialpolicyconnections.com.au;

Entry by donation. Tea and Coffee available afterwords.

 

Free podcast available

One of the main airms of Social Policy Connections is to provide new platforms for informed debate and conversation. If are unable to attend our lectures but would like to listen to the event, please click HERE to access our audio podcast library . You can subscribe via itunes, RSS or email alerts.

Social Policy Connections is pleased to announce that it has joined the social network Twitter. Our tweets will help keep our followers up to date with current social justice issues. If you would like to follow SPC on Twitter please click HERE. Or paste http://twitter.com/#!/@spc_justice into your URL.

Do you have skills in producing programs for TV, perhaps in scripting or visual and sound editing?

SPC is intending to produce a number of programs and documentaries for community TV channels, especially Ch 31, making use also of our public forums and speakers on key social issues. If you have relevant skills and would like to help make such programs, we would be keen to talk with you. Please contact us at SPC.

Changes at SPC

Audra heads to greener pastures

Our Executive Officer, Audra Kunciunas, is leaving Social Policy Connections to live in regional Victoria.  It is a move Audra has been considering for some time and while it means exciting new experiences for her, the Board and members of SPC are sorry to see her go. Audra has been very active in representing our organisation and its aims within the social justice community. Her happy and efficient manner has won her many friends. We greatly appreciate all that she has achieved for us over the past year.

Welcome to Susy Herlihy

SPC is delighted to introduce our new Coordinator, Susy Herlihy.  She comes highly recommended, with extensive experience in administration and organisation. She has worked in all five continents and in 13 countries. Her professional roles have been very diverse – ranging through executive coaching, career counselling, developing engineering capability, project management, human resources, advertising, and linguistics.

Australia, aid and global development Presented by Marc Purcell

Decisions needed on climate change

Editorial by Bill Frilay

Australia is facing key decisions about how to tackle climate change.  This is a very difficult issue.  Ross Garnaut called it “a diabolical policy problem” in its complexity.  Yes, difficult, but very important. 

Why should SPC take up an interest in climate change?  Is not this an environmental issue rather than a social one?  It is both.  The World Council of Churches listed the following ethical, social and environmental issues in a document prepared for the UN Climate Change talks in Cancun last December, stressing:

• concern for present and future generations;
• stewardship of the planet;
• equity and the effect on the poorest nations. The impact of climate change could be greatest on the poorest nations which are least equipped to address this problem caused primarily by the developed nations;
• the need for developed countries to take the lead in combating climate change.

In Australia we need to consider the impact of changes on our economy and on lower-income people in particular. There are therefore good reasons for organisations such as SPC to take a keen interest in this debate. Photo: Storm Crypt, flickr CC Read More

SPC Forum on Human Trafficking

Presented by Michaela Guthridge

(Good Shepherd Mission & Justice Unit),

Prof. Jennifer Burn (Anti-Slavery Project) and Christine Carolan (ACRATH)

This forum will look at the illegal trade in human beings for the purposes exploitation and forced labour.

Thursday 30 June, 7.30 pm

Launch of national directory of church refugee and asylum seeker services

This National Directory of Refugee and Asylum Seeker Support Services of the Australian Churches was written by Dr Kirsty Sangster for the Yarra Institute for Religion and Social Policy, with the aid of a grant from the Melbourne College of Divinity. The project was supervised by Dr Rowan Ireland and Dr Bruce Duncan, and the layout was prepared by Ms Audra Kunciunas.

Instead of printing a hard copy of the directory, which would date very quickly, we are offering this directory online so that we can keep it updated with any changes. You can print off a hard copy in A-5 format for your own use by going to our website.

Help us keep this directory up to date by informing us of changes to the programs or details of the various Church agencies. For information on the Yarra Institute and other research projects, see www.yarrainstitute.org.au.

Please click HERE to download a PDF of the National Directory of Refugee and Asylum Seeker Support Services of the Australian Churches.

Australia investing in nuclear weapons

In May 2011, the Future Fund announced that it had divested from 10 companies involved in the production of cluster munitions and land mines. But nuclear weapons companies have not yet been excluded from its investment portfolio.

This violates its own policy not to invest in companies whose economic activity is illegal in Australia. Commonwealth law expressly prohibits the manufacture of nuclear weapons, as well as facilitating or assisting in the manufacture of such weapons.

Supporting the industry that produces these instruments of terror is grossly unethical, and should be a cause for great concern. The Future Fund is undermining efforts to achieve the complete elimination of nuclear weapons.

For more information about Australia’s investments in nuclear weapons, see ICAN’s briefing paper at http://www.icanw.org/files/ICAN-FutureFund.pdf

ICAN’s campaign manager, Tim Wright, is urging people to put pressure on the Future Fund to divest from these immoral weapons by writing to the editor of a newspaper or to the chair of the Future Fund, Mr David Murray at: contact@futurefund.gov.au

UN Human Rights Commissioner on NT Intervention and mandatory detention

The UN Human Rights Commissioner, Navi Pillay, visited Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory in May and appealed to the Gillard Government for a review of the federal intervention into Aboriginal affairs. She was handed a petition organised by the group, “Concerned Australians” and signed by 6500 Australians, calling for an end to the intervention. 

In Darwin Ms Pillay said that Aborigines need to be genuinely consulted and involved in decision-making about their communities.  She met Prime Minister Gillard and advisers in Canberra on 25 May, and also raised concerns about Australia’s policy of mandatory detention of asylum seekers and refugees.

To listen to an interview with Navi Pillay on the Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association station go to http://caama.com.au/united-nations-high-commissioner-navi-pillay-on-caama-radio . See also http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hOR_ENBlNs

Social Policy Connections featured video

How can the churches address a wider audience?

Click HERE if the video does not display properly

Click HERE to view more SPC videos