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Every older person has the right to: Control and access their own money Choose to see family and friends when they want to Attend appointments without another person present Have access to clean clothing, food and their own medication Everyone has the right to feel safe and be treated with dignity and respect in their own home and within their community. Unfortunately, some older people’s rights are not respected and they are not safe. This is called older person abuse. Older person abuse is defined as a single or repeated act, or lack of appropriate action, occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust which causes harm or distress to another person. To find out more please take our free micro-course here: https://communityindustrygroup.org.au/whats-on/online-training/  

Community Industry Group is proud to release a short video revealing the reality of life for people experiencing homelessness in bushfire impacted areas across South East NSW. “So much of the focus during and after the bushfires has been on people whose homes were destroyed. But this video raises awareness of those people who were not lucky enough to have a home before the fires, and who are finding it even more difficult to find a safe, secure and appropriate place to live now they are competing with insurance companies for scarce rental properties,” commented Nicky Sloan, CEO. The Homelessness in South East NSW video can be accessed here and an accompanying Fact Sheet here. The South East NSW Bushfire Crisis – Impact, Response & Recovery Report is available here.

The latest newsletter is out now! It is full of community service news and events, positions vacant and professional development opportunities. Check it out here: https://communityindustrygroup.org.au/news/newsletters/ To subscribe to our fortnightly e-newsletter sign up here: https://communityindustrygroup.org.au/subscribe/ If you are a member of Community Industry Group you can send us your events for inclusion.

On 19 June 2020, the Fair Work Commission handed down their annual wage review decision. The Commission decision is that minimum wages in modern awards will be increased by 1.75% from the start of the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2020 for Group 1 Awards (SHCADS is a Group 1 Award). While community organisations are only too happy to increase staff pay, there is no doubt that, without funding to cover it, the decision will put added pressure on community sector budgets. Especially since the rate of indexation for NSW funded programs did not cover the previous annual wage review. Community Industry Group has written to the NSW Treasurer and to the Minister for Families, Communities and Disability Services requesting an immediate increase in funding for all NSW government funded community services to enable them to pay the increase and continue to deliver services to their […]

On 25 July 2019, the Senate referred an inquiry into the adequacy of Newstart and related payments and alternative mechanisms to determine the level of income support payments in Australia to the Senate Community Affairs References Committee for inquiry and report. The committee tabled its report of the inquiry in the Senate on 30 April 2020. The report is available here. Community Industry Group worked with members and other stakeholders to research and write a submission, and we are pleased to note that many of our assertions and recommendations have been included in the report. The Report includes 27 Recommendations, most of which are for further areas of Inquiry or review. Recommendation 2 perhaps sums up the findings best: The committee recommends the Australian Government immediately undertake a review of the income support system to ensure that all eligible income support recipients do not live in poverty.