For a kinder, gentler Australia
Our goal is to represent the voiceless parents, families and carers of Australia. We are the bedrock social unit in our country, the key to social well-being, and the wellspring of personal belonging and identity. Yet we have no voice in our nation's affairs. We are unrepresented in parliaments and excluded from public decision-making. Our goal is to change this and shift the balance of power in society.
The things that matter most to us - families, neighbourhoods, caring for others, voluntary activity, self-development and the character of people, local economies, local communities - are the things that matter least to our politicians. Political parties of both Right and Left have ignored social relationships for a century in their obsession with the market and the state. Neo-liberalism on the Right (the rule of the market) and managerialism on the Left (the rule of bureaucracy) have dominated politics. Together they have corroded society, undermined personal and social responsibility, weakened community, and turned unique individuals into clients, beneficiaries, customers and labourers, detached from their relationships and communities.
Social relationships - not the market, or the state - should be the prism through which we assess policy. This is common sense. This is the Australian tradition. Neither Left nor Right. We warmly invite you to join us.
Victorian
State Election Candidates
Call for Expressions of Interest
Click here
to express your interest in joining
our team in the state election on 27 November
Policy Feedback - Tell us what you think
Use the feedback form below to send us your comments.
NSW
State Election Candidates
Call for Expressions of Interest
Click here
to express your interest in joining
our team in the state election on 26 March 2011
1. Parent
Living Allowance
2. Carer Living Allowance
Every parent or carer of a person over the age of 16 who has a disability, mental or chronic illness, or dependent aged frailty, who is currently eligible to receive the Carers Payment or Carers Allowance, should receive a Carer Living Allowance of $544 per week (the minimum wage) for the period they are out of the workforce in a caring role. This allowance would replace the Carer Payment and Carer Allowance.
3. Parent and Carer Superannuation
Every parent who is caring for a child under 6, and every carer who is currently eligible for the Carers Payment or Carers Allowance, should receive a publicly-funded superannuation contribution at the current rate of 9% levied on the minimum wage for periods when they are not in the workforce.
4. Family Advocacy Payment
Every parent of a child under the age of 16, and every carer of a person over the age of 16 who has a disability, mental or chronic illness or aged frailty, should receive an annual Family Advocacy Payment of $2000 in the form of a service voucher to engage the services of an Advocate to represent the interests of the family in dealing with health, education and welfare services and government departments.
5. Individual Learning Plan
Every child and student should be entitled to a portable technology-based Individual Learning Plan that will be used by schools, teachers and specialist health and welfare practitioners as a tool for the design and management of each child's learning. There should be a legislative requirement that a family's Individual Learning Plan be used by every school and practitioner on request by the family. Every parent of a child under the age of 16 should receive a one-off payment of $2,000 to purchase an Individual Learning Plan tool of their choice.
6. Respite Entitlement
Every parent or carer of a person with with a disability, mental or chronic illness, and aged frailty, who is currently eligible to receive the Carers Payment or Carers Allowance, should receive a Respite Entitlement, assigned directly to each parent or carer in the form of a service voucher for an amount equivalent to the purchase cost of six weeks of external support annually.