The focus of this submission is on the legislative provisions of the Social Services Legislation Amendment (Cashless Debit Card) Bill 2017 which would enable the removal of section 124PF of the Social Security (Administration) Act 1999. This section currently limits the number of Cashless Debit Card trial locations to three, the inclusion of no more…
Family by Family, designed by families for families, is set to scale! With support from the South Australian Government, from the 1st October 2017 Family by Family will transition operations in South Australia to Uniting Communities, a long-term supporter and investor in Family by Family along with the South Australian Department for Education and Child Development (DECD). This…
Safety and complete confidence clear priorities for new mixed use 20 storey CBD building The developers of a 20 storey building in Adelaide’s CBD say they have listened to public concern and have redesigned the exterior façade of the U City development on Franklin Street to completely exclude the use of approved exterior cladding panels,…
A national survey undertaken for World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD) has revealed mixed results when it comes to suicide stigma in Australia. Lifeline Adelaide Service Manager, Danielle Hanisch, says that there is still much to be done to support better understanding of suicide – particularly in light of the news of 13-year-old Adelaide schoolgirl, Libby…
We are part of a coalition of non-government and philanthropic organisations determined to focus the attention of our politicians and communities on reducing the number of children entering the child protection system. There are approximately 3,500 children under the age of 10 in SA that have been taken away from their families and are now…
Uniting Communities is concerned about the Federal Government’s proposed changes to the Social Services Legislation Amendment (Welfare Reform) Bill 2017, which is about to be put forward to the Senate. 1. Uniting Communities Thank you for the opportunity to make a submission on the important issue of the proposed changes to Australia’s welfare payment…
Today, the SA Parliament passed the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Land Rights (Miscellaneous) Amendment Bill, which allows the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation to dismiss the community-elected APY Executive Board for any reason he deems fit. Existing provisions under the original APY Land Rights Act provided for procedural arrangements and conditions under which the APY…
A Senate Inquiry is being held into the Federal Government’s Community Development Program (CDP), which is the work-for-the-dole scheme that operates in remote communities across Australia. People in remote communities who receive income support benefits and are able to work, are required to work 25 hours per week in order to receive their benefits. A…
The Minister for Corrections, Peter Malinauskas, will be visiting the Uniting Communities Aboriginal Community Connect service at 196 Prospect Rd Prospect on 22 May at 9am. The visit will focus on Aboriginal Community Connect current experience and gaps in services within Aboriginal communities. “We will be highlighting the importance of consistency in service support for…
10,000 Crisis Supporters volunteer over past five years With more than 10,000 Telephone Crisis Supporters giving their time over the past five years, Lifeline is celebrating this National Volunteer Week by acknowledging the exceptional work of its volunteers – past and present – based in communities across Australia. National Volunteer Week (8-14 May) is an…
