Less than one month out from the Federal Election, Jesuit Social Services calls on political leaders to commit to policies, practices and investments that allow all Australians the opportunity to reach their full potential, and says responses to the COVID-19 pandemic have shown that complex social issues are not beyond resolution.
“Elections are opportunities for all Australians to have their say about the type of society we want to live in, and where our priorities lie. We must ensure that the needs and wellbeing of vulnerable Australians are not overlooked. Vulnerable people and communities have been hardest hit by significant events such as COVID-19 and the climate crisis, and they must be supported by policies and investments to help them flourish,” says Jesuit Social Services CEO Julie Edwards.
Jesuit Social Services’ recently released Federal Election platform, A blueprint for a just recovery, draws on the organisation’s 45 year history of advocacy and action to provide recommendations across a range of interconnected social policy areas including youth justice, mental health, affordable housing, ecological justice, immigration and settlement.
“Creating a more just and humane society is possible, as shown by some of the responses to the pandemic like the collaboration of private and public sectors to increase the level of mental health support and provide housing for people experiencing vulnerabilities. The impact of the temporary increase to JobSeeker was profound. Some of our participants were able to access rental accommodation, to afford medication or purchase items as simple, but essential, as warm clothes and achieve a measure of stability in their lives that they hadn’t previously enjoyed. Our participants had hope and their outlook changed,” says Ms Edwards.
