Victorians will go to the polls twice this year. The Federal election is due later this year at a date yet to be set. The State elections will be conducted on 27 November. Already the signs are becoming apparent: the media are giving greater attention to the ratings of government leaders vis-à-vis their opposition counterparts; our politicians are seizing any opportunity for publicity, even if it means guest appearances on TV comedy shows; and ideas like empowering local boards for hospitals, amendments to workplace laws, etc. are being floated to test early electoral responses and to tease out the issues that will catch the interest of the electorate.

Each of us will be required to take a position on the respective parties come election day. But an advocacy organisation like Social Policy Connections needs to develop its ideas about social policy well before election day. The SPC Board at its first meeting for 2010 focused on the processes to develop clear positions on selected issues in line with our Christian convictions. The Board was also keen to draw our members into a dialogue to identify policy issues of greatest concern to them.  *Photo courtesy jef safi, Flickr CC

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Launch of response to NT federal intervention: This is what we said

At the request of Michele Harris of Concerned Australians, SPC offered its website to help publicise the launch of This is what we said, a summary of indigenous responses to the federal government’s consultations about changes to the Northern Territory Emergency Response.

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SPC report to nuclear disarmament meeting

SPC was invited to make a presentation at a workshop organised by ICAN (the International Campaign to abolish Nuclear Weapons) in Melbourne on 15 February.

Bill Frilay and Bruce Duncan prepared the presentation, which Bill delivered.

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Photo Chris Devers flikr CC

INVITATION TO MEMBERS

Consultation on election priorities

You are warmly welcomed to join this consultation on SPC policies and priorities in 2010, at 10am – 1 pm, Saturday 20 March at the Study Centre, Yarra Theological Union, 98 Albion Rd., Box Hill. Best entry via 34 Bedford St. Please confirm by Friday 19th 3pm: 9899 4777 or admin@socialpolicyconnections.com.au

SPC forum on social encyclical on

ABC Encounter program

In November, SPC and the Yarra Institute arranged a public forum on Pope Benedict’s encyclical, Caritas in Veritate, with Melbourne’s Anglican Archbishop Dr Philip Freier; Dr Rufus Black, Master of Ormond College; and Ms Julie
Edwards, CEO of Jesuit Social Services. ABC Radio National will broadcast the talks on its ‘Encounter’ program on 28 March 2010. The forum will also be available as an SPC Podcast.

To subscribe to the SPC podcast in Itunes click HERE To subscribe via RSS please click HERE