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Harmony Day - reflection by Andy Hamilton SJ
Confidence in our own identity is the key to embracing the differences of others, writes ANDY HAMILTON SJ In nature diversity is a good thing. Lack of diversity makes for inbreeding and impoverishment of the gene pool. It makes crops more liable to catastrophic disease with consequences for all those who rely on them for…
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International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination - Reflection by Andy Hamilton SJ
Looking inside ourselves to uncover the sources of our prejudices is the key to welcoming difference as a gift, writes ANDY HAMILTON SJ We have seen the evil of racism in historical and current events. The Nazi persecution of Jews and attempt to eradicate them are among the greatest evils of last century. The…
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"The Apology engendered great hope. It remains unrealised".
Picture credit: butupa A decade on from Prime Minister Rudd’s landmark Apology to Australia’s Indigenous Peoples, ANDY HAMILTON SJ reflects that the great hope engendered by it remains unrealised. Ten years have passed since the Apology to Australia’s Indigenous Peoples by then Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on behalf of Parliament and the nation. It seems…
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Political leaders must support, not punish, vulnerable Australians
Tens of thousands of Australians will be impacted by proposed welfare reform measures. It’s time for our political leaders to support, not punish vulnerable people, writes Jesuit Social Services Media Relations Manager KATHRYN KERNOHAN. In 2017 the Federal Government courted controversy by proposing to drug test welfare recipients, despite evidence from several US states that…
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Vulnerable young people need support, not stigma
Focusing on punitive measures as a means of tackling crime deprives us of the opportunity to constructively discuss effective solutions that address the causes of alienation and disengagement young people often experience, writes Jesuit Social Services Communications Coordinator ANDREW GILLETT. Jesuit Social Services has been working with young people who have been involved with the…
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Federal Government’s MYEFO seeks to create second class citizens
The Federal Government’s Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook seeks to create second class citizens who are excluded from full participation in society, writes Jesuit Social Services Media Relations Manager KATHRYN KERNOHAN. This week, the Federal Government handed down its Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO), an update on this year’s Federal Budget. The Federal Government…
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ANDY HAMILTON SJ explores how justice can hold people to account while also offering hope and a pathway forward. In recent years in Australia justice has increasingly been seen through the lens of punishment. It is retributive. You do the crime, you do the time. In public controversies about justice critics usually complain that the…
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NDIS not meeting the needs of marginalised members of the community
The harrowing tale of a young man languishing in prison due to a lack of suitable accommodation in the community highlights that the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) does not meet the needs of some of the most marginalised members of the community, writes Jesuit Social Services Media Relations Manager KATHRYN KERNOHAN. The story of…
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Reflections on Caux Dialogue on Land and Security
Earlier this year Jesuit Social Services’ Ecological Justice Policy Officer BRONWYN LAY joined experts in Switzerland to deepen her understanding of the links between land degradation and human security. She reflects on her experiences and Jesuit Social Services’ journey of reconciliation with creation. In July this year I helped organise the Caux Dialogue on Land…
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Anti-Poverty Week: small things matter in our quest to eradicate poverty
Anti-Poverty Week (October 15-21) is a chance to reflect on issues of poverty and hardship, both locally and globally. ANDY HAMILTON SJ writes that small things matter in our quest to eradicate poverty. We usually think of poverty as something that afflicts third world nations. But it is also present in Australia – shamefully so,…