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disability, Mental Health
and Families - charter for national action
The Howard Government has declared a National
Emergency amongst indigenous communities in the Northern Territory. It is
intervening to reform failed service systems
that have created despair in many communities.
It now needs to declare a National Emergency
in disability and mental health.
The Centre for Civil Society will host a major campaign in support of a similar
declaration of National Emergency for people with disabilities, mental
illnesses and their families.
The campaign will be organised in each of
the 150 federal electorates around Australia.
CLICK HERE
for further information.
Indigenous Communities and Passive Welfare
The Centre for Civil Society backs the revolution in indigenous affairs led by Noel and Gerhardt Pearson and Richie Ahmat of Cape York. Its focus on relationships, community and personal
responsibility within a framework of social and economic empowerment is applicable across the whole community.
Local economic development and social empowerment go hand in hand, for white and black Australians. For perhaps the best outline of this agenda,
Noel Pearson's speech to the Social Entrepreneurs Network in 2002 in Melbourne is highly recommended.
Health Reform
With health care at the top of the national priority list for many Australians, a carefully considered health reform agenda is more important than ever. However, short-term
poll-driven approaches of the kind currently offered by the Federal Government and Labor alike will not deliver significant reform.
The Centre is interested in bringing together Australians with a serious commitment to health reform based on consumer empowerment, co-ordinated care and patient-centred pooling of funds with an illness-prevention
philosophy.
A three year
health reform process
was launched in August 2004 in Sydney at a
workshop on
New Directions in Health Reform.
SMALL BUSINESS
MANIFESTO
CLICK HERE
to see our small business manifesto.
Family Carers: The Sleeping Giant of Australian Politics
What is the biggest common interest constituency in Australia? Trade unions? The green
movement? Small business? Try family carers.
CLICK HERE to read more.
National Consumer Alliance
This Alliance was formed in Melbourne at a National Consumer Summit convened to explore the development of a broad, independent consumer movement in Australia. It
adopted a five-point campaign package of policy changes spanning federal and state jurisdictions. These are:
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Stop the banking cartel's gouging of consumers
Australian banks rip off their customers more comprehensively than anyone else in the country and now comprise 50 per cent of the stockmarket. We want a break up of the banking cartel, divestiture of
assets where there is a debt/equity conflict of interest, downwards movement in fees and charges, and removal of barriers to more effective competition to the Big Four.
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Unbundle Telstra
We have the most dominant telco in the western world that has stifled its competitors and continues to mercilessly gouge its customers. We want an unbundling of Telstra to separate its retail
operations from its network and media operations.
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Bring in 'lemon' laws
Australia has no 'lemon' laws protecting consumers who purchase a dud product or service. We want tough 'lemon laws' introduced in all jurisdictions.
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Remove the consumer levies to bail out producers
We want the removal of consumer levies on milk, sugar and other products which have been introduced by governments to bail out inefficient producers.
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Ease the restrictions on new entrants
We want an easing of restrictions on new entrants in banking, insurance, airlines and the media to encourage more players, more competition, and more options for
consumers.
Register your interest in the campaign at
http://www.partnerships.org.au/NationalConsumerAllianceForm.htm
For further information, contact
Vern Hughes
Empowerment Initiatives in the Human Services
A National Reference Group on Empowerment in the Human Services was appointed at the inaugural Empowering Individuals and Families in the Human Services conference. Its Terms of Reference include:
To be a national reference point for the development, co-ordination and promotion of empowerment initiatives in the human services, including initiatives in:
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consumer, family and community governance
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cross-sector funds-pooling and budget-holding
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direct payments, and
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other person-centred arrangements
Further details are at
http://www.partnerships.org.au/empowerment.htm
Credit Union Renewal
Australia's credit union movement was once a dynamic self-help movement amongst communities of families, workers and farmers. It reached its peak in members and market share in the
1970s, and since then has been in decline. Ironically, its market share has fallen at the very time the major banks have never been more unpopular.
We are interested in hearing from credit union members across the country who want to turn around this unhappy plight. The key problem is a crisis in leadership and identity. The technical
sophistication of credit unions has grown but their identity has collapsed in the absence of a strategic leadership committed to entrepreneurial thinking based on self-help and mutuality principles.
Managerialism is the enemy of empowerment in credit unions as in every other institution in the country. To express your interest in this agenda, contact
Vern Hughes on 0425
722 890.
RURAL SELF HELP
Australia's rural communities have a long and proud history of people creatively banding together to help each other and to build strong communities. This tradition is still alive,
but it is much weaker than in the past, and in some places is under threat of extinction.
Regenerating this tradition is a strong commitment of the Centre for Civil
Society. Social and political leadership is critical to this task, and we are very keen to hear from people in the bush who want to work with
others in articulating the self-help spirit in contemporary ways that respond to the present challenges.
For further information, contact
Vern Hughes
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Centre for Civil Society 2007 |
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PARENTS
FAMILIES AND CARERS |
CLICK HERE
for further information.
In Control EOI sought
CLICK HERE
for details. |
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COMMUNITY BUILDING |
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CLICK
HERE for further information. |
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VOLUNTEERS UNION |
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CLICK HERE
for further information. |
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THIRD WAY FORUM |
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CLICK HERE for further
information. |
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FEDERAL ELECTORATE
ASSEMBLY |
The Centre brings together people
in each federal electorate (150 electorates around Australia) to
work locally in influencing policy and opinion.
CLICK HERE to
participate and to express an interest in Convening an FEA in
your electorate. |
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DISABILITY AND MENTAL HEALTH |
Charter for National Action
CLICK
HERE for details of our National Campaign. |
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Family Carers
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There are 2.7million
family carers of people with a disability, a chronic or mental
illness, or aged frailty in Australia. They are invisible to
politicians and policy makers.
Read more... |
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Standing Up to Telstra and
the Big Four Banks |
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Help us create a
voice for consumers.
Read more... |
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