statements for the federal election 2010 - the salvation army

Statements for theFederal Election 2010

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The Salvation Army | Federal Election 2010

Opening Message – Call to All Parties

The Salvation Army is a long established and major provider of social welfare and community services within Australia, having provided a significant array of services to the Australian community since the 1880’s.

The Salvation Army’s social and community services are an integral part of its role as a Christian church, demonstrating a commitment to the provision of services which address the physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs of people.

Despite a strong national economy, many within our communities, including young families and children, continue to face significant adversity that prevents them from achieving their full potential socially, economically and spiritually.

The Salvation Army considers the 2010 Federal Election an opportunity for all Australian political parties to make a commitment to, and invest in, a truly non-partisan approach to achieving a fair and just society.

The Salvation Army maintains that such a commitment has the potential to redress those structural inequalities that continue to contribute to many hundreds of thousands of people living in poverty and experiencing homelessness or inadequate housing, poor health, limited education options and few employment opportunities.

The Salvation Army has developed a series of key election statements which we believe will assist policy makers in their task of achieving a fair and just society for all Australians.

These statements are:

1. National Poverty Reduction Statement

2. National Homelessness Statement

3. National Housing Affordability Statement

4. National Asylum Seekers and Refugees Statement

5. National Health Policy Statement

6. National Youth Policy Statement

7. National Aged Care Statement

8. National Workforce Capacity Statement

We ask that all political parties give due consideration to these statements and to the plight of the disadvantaged as, in the end, we as a country will be judged by history by our treatment of the poorest and most disadvantaged.

Commissioner Linda BondTerritorial Commander

Australia Eastern Territory

Commissioner Raymond A. FingerTerritorial Commander

Australia Southern Territory

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1 | National Poverty Reduction Statement

The Salvation Army has a long history of working with people experiencing poverty and hardship in Australia through the provision of a range of supports and services.

The Salvation Army is committed to ensuring that the rights and inherent dignity of all people are upheld at all levels of society.

Analysis of The Salvation Army’s own research data indicates that the people most disadvantaged in the economy, the people The Salvation Army has regular contact with, are facing the worst of the current economic situation and the negative psychological impact is greater on them. In a recent survey, data indicated that this group of people are more likely to feel depressed about their current situation (52%) than other members of the Australian community.1

Research also shows that poverty has a direct impact on the economic, social and spiritual aspects of people’s lives. The cycle of poverty and disadvantage once begun can be difficult to break and diminishes the individual and the society in which it occurs.

Poverty has two elements:

i. The lack of access to a fair, sustainable, minimum standard of living specific to the need for adequate income, employment, healthcare, food, housing and education; and

ii. The lack of opportunity to participate fully in society, including social and spiritual expression.

The Salvation Army’s experience with disadvantaged Australians demonstrates that without these basic necessities being met, people survive but do not flourish as full participating members of society.

People living in poverty remain a significant concern for The Salvation Army given that they are not participating fully in the prosperity of the nation. The Salvation Army believes that a fair distribution of the benefits of nation’s resources will build strong and healthy communities and a fair and just Australian society.

Recommendations The Salvation Army calls all political parties in Australia to commit to the following.

• Development of strategies to address under-employment and disincentives to take up full-time work. (From May 2008 to August 2009, the under-employment rate rose 2.0 percentage points to 7.8%).2

• Review of the social security payment system to better support those in critical life transitions, for example, family breakdown and short-term financial crisis.

• Development of strong partnerships with community and corporate organisations to address Indigenous poverty and exclusion and to support the ‘8 Priorities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Families 2009’.3

• Development of a National Child Poverty Strategy to address the needs of the 12% of children living in poverty.4

• Provision of support for single parents (many of whom are women) to develop career enhancing and long-term career skills to enable them to develop a long-term sustainable employment strategy.

• Continuation and expansion of additional funding of emergency relief, financial counselling and literacy initiatives that began as a response to the Global Financial Crisis and are due to cease in June 2011.

• Promotion and funding of integrated models of service delivery in the Emergency Relief sector to support intensive assistance and capacity building in disadvantaged Australians.

• A commitment to, and maintenance of, an adequate safety net to protect vulnerable, disadvantaged and low income households.

• A commitment to research that provides awareness regarding the impacts of disadvantage and social exclusion and subsequently informs policy and programme directions.

1 The Salvation Army Southern Territory, The Personal Impact of Australia’s Current Economic Situation, 2010.2 Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australian Social Trends June 2010, p33.3 8 Priorities for our children and Families [online] available: http://www.snaicc.asn.au/policy/default.cfm?loadref=67 viewed 21July 2010.4 Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australian Social Trends June 2010, p33.

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2 | National Homelessness Statement

The Salvation Army is a major provider of housing and homelessness support services to people at risk of, or experiencing, homelessness.

On any given night in Australia there are 105,000 homeless people.1 People who are homeless, or at risk of homelessness, are among the most marginalised and disadvantaged in the Australian community.

Homelessness has many, and often complex causes. Some of these are domestic or family violence, relationship or family breakdown and financial difficulties.2 Common factors also contributing to homelessness include rising rental housing costs, a decrease in affordable housing stock, tightening income support and changes in family structure. Research indicates that 76% of the homeless population are single people,3 mostly without any functional support networks.

The Salvation Army welcomed the Australian Government’s White Paper on Homelessness, The Road Home, and its commitment to a target of halving the number of people experiencing homelessness by 2020 and ensuring that all rough sleepers who need it are offered crisis accommodation by 2020.

The Salvation Army calls upon all Australian political parties to re-commit to the targets and strategies outlined in The Road Home report.


• Provision of greater access to a range of alternative and innovative responses to homelessness and the underlying causes of individual homelessness.

• Development of a National Strategy to deliver the objectives of The Road Home action plan.

• Increased investment in, and emphasis on, early intervention programmes for those at risk of becoming homeless or newly homeless.

• Provision of funding for individual support packages for homeless people with high and/or complex needs; such as, mental health issue and addictions.

• Provision of support and funding for vocational pathways and social and cultural activities to assist individuals to engage fully in society.

• Improved access and availability of appropriate social housing for disadvantaged Australians through greater investment in housing development.

• Provision of increased funding for long-term support programmes to assist disadvantaged Australians to break cycles of long-term disadvantage.

1 Chamberlain and MacKenzie, 2006, Counting the Homeless.2 The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW 2008/09)3 Chamberlain and MacKenzie, 2006, Counting the Homeless.

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3 | National Housing Affordability Statement

The Salvation Army believes that accessible, affordable and secure housing provides the foundation for the well-being and participation of all citizens within community life.

It is estimated that more than 1.5 million lower-income Australians are paying above the benchmark of 30% of household income in housing costs.1 This primarily affects renters who find it increasingly difficult to locate and secure affordable housing.

An increasing number of families with young children can only find affordable housing by relocating long distances from urban service centres. This can have the unintended consequence of social isolation, family stress, unemployment and welfare dependency. It is essential that basic supportive infrastructure is provided for such communities.

Housing problems are especially severe amongst Indigenous people, sole parents, long-term unemployed people, people with disabilities and increasingly, older Australians.

The ‘State of Supply’ report (2010) indicates that in 2007–08 there was a national shortage of 493,000 private rental dwellings that were both affordable and available for those in the bottom 40% of the income distribution.2


• Development and resourcing of a National Affordable Housing Strategy.

• Development of more housing options for people in the workforce whose income is currently too high to obtain traditional public housing but too low to sustain private rental costs.

• Targeted effective policy changes to encourage private and social sector spending on affordable housing.

• Increased affordable rental housing through an expansion of the NRAS programme.

• Consider the concept of ‘affordable housing bonds’ as a way to provide low-cost housing and related infrastructure development.

• Australian Governments Future Fund to be used as a vehicle for developing a substantial and sustained program of community infrastructure development, especially in provincial and regional centres.

• Review of the Commonwealth Rent Assistance programme to ensure that it is linked to other forms of housing assistance that also takes into account the geographical variances in private rental costs.

1 Judith Yates and Michelle Gabriel, 2006, Housing affordability in Australia National Research Venture 3: Housing Affordability for Lower Income Australians Research Paper 3, Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute.

2 National Housing Supply Council, State of Supply Report 2010. [online] availaiable: http://www.nhsc.org.au/state_of_supply/2009_ssr_rpt/SoSR_summary.htm#sum_a viewed 23 July 2010.

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4 | National Asylum Seekers and Refugees Statement

Australia has committed to the rights of asylum seekers as a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention and other international conventions.

The Salvation Army respects the Government’s right to take reasonable measures to control and regulate entry into Australia. Issues of border security and eradication of people smuggling are important, but need to be separated from the fair and compassionate treatment of asylum seekers.

Offshore processing of ‘Irregular Maritime Arrivals’ The current practice of detaining asylum seekers who arrive by boat on excised territory severely restricts their access to basic rights and services, including legal representation, education, translators, and advocacy and health services. This approach impacts on the mental, physical and emotional health of asylum seekers and lacks compassion and dignity.

The location of refugee processing centres in isolated and poorly resourced areas, whether on Australian soil, in excised Australian territory or in international ‘regional’ processing centres, minimises transparency, restricts access to support and limits the availability of cost effective services and support. While regional processing can be seen as an attempt to divest responsibility onto our regional neighbours, a ‘whole of region’ engagement is required to address the issues of asylum seekers and refugees.

RecommendationThe Salvation Army calls all political parties in Australia to commit to the following.

• All asylum seekers to be received on Australian soil and not accommodated in offshore facility.

• The excising of Australian islands for the purpose of the Migration Act is ceased.

Two-tiered processing of applications All asylum seekers to Australia have the same rights under international human rights conventions, irrespective of whether they have legal rights within Australian or not. All claims for asylum should be assessed under a transparent system. Those asylum seekers who arrive in excised offshore locations have limited rights in appealing the Department of Immigration decisions about their refugee status. It is not appropriate to afford some asylum seekers a lesser degree of protection under the law on the basis of their manner or location of arrival.


• All applications for protection are processed under one single application system that is framed in legislation and open to avenues of appeal and review.

Claims processingThe effects of extended periods of time in detention, while processing health, character and security checks, exacerbates trauma and mental health consequences. This is particularly the case if an extended amount of time is spent in detention. More resources need to be made available to expedite these processes to alleviate the unnecessary detention of asylum seekers and the protection of their human rights and dignity.

The increased resourcing and development of effective community support systems for asylum seekers is imperative. This will ensure that there is capacity to support asylum seekers upon their release into the community.

RecommendationsThe Salvation Army calls all political parties in Australia to commit to the following.

• Processing of all claims to be commenced promptly and completed within the shortest possible timeframes through increasing funding for health, character and security checks. This is particularly the case if this process is protracted or interrupted.

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• Provision of increased funding for community support as the primary response for asylum seekers. This involves funding and enabling community agencies to provide comprehensive support regardless of visa status.

• All bridging (A-E) visas, while awaiting determination or final review of protection visa applications, to include the right to work and the access to full medical support.

Human RightsThe Salvation Army advocates for the development of proactive, compassionate and appropriate human rights focused policies in relation to all asylum seekers, based on an amended Migration Act.

It is imperative that Australia demonstrates a commitment to international human rights through the enactment of appropriate domestic legislation that upholds and promotes those rights and ensures minimum standards of treatment and conditions for detainees in line with the relevant international conventions.

It is imperative that Australia demonstrates a commitment to international human rights through the enactment of appropriate domestic policies that uphold and promote those rights.


• A review of the Department of Immigration and Citizenship policies to further protect the rights of asylum seekers and refugees, and ensure that the spirit of relevant international agreements are reflected within them.

Intake of asylum seekers, refugees and humanitarian program migrants.Asylum seekers and refugees can and do make as valuable a contribution to the nation as other migrants. They should be welcomed with respect and compassion.

Given Australia’s ongoing programme of migration, and the increasing need for the resettlement of people displaced by conflict, The Salvation Army urges the Australian Government to increase the proportion of refugee and humanitarian migration into Australia; to a level comparable with other industrialised countries.


• Increasing the intake of refugees and asylum seekers in addition to the overall migration intake.

• Increasing the support and opportunities provided to enable refugees and asylum seekers to fully participate in the social and economic life of Australia.

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5 | National Health Policy Statement

There are still many Australians who continue to experience poor and restrictive access to quality health care. To assist people experiencing disadvantage in access and opportunity to receive adequate health care requires Government commitment and leadership, as well as collaboration between key stakeholders. Significant financial investment, including the provision of targeted resources is required to alleviate disadvantage and provide all Australians with quality health outcomes.

Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs (ATOD) Alcohol, tobacco and other drugs remain a persistent cause of avoidable death and disease. Each year they are responsible for more than 20,000 deaths.1

Access to services and delays in receiving support are experienced across all drug sector areas, with the situation being exacerbated for vulnerable populations, further compounding pre-existing health, economic and social disadvantage.


• Increased access to evidence based programmes and products, designed to assist individuals to quit tobacco use.

• Increased funding for treatment programmes, to provide additional places and reduce barriers to accessing them.

• Increased access to programmes addressing co-morbidity issues of mental health and substance abuse.

• Increased targeted funding for the provision of cross-sectoral capacity building and education between the mental health and the ATOD sector.

• Implementation of strategies to reduce barriers and increase access for vulnerable populations. This includes awareness training and education, production of appropriate information resources and targeted programmes to identify and reach vulnerable, at risk and isolated populations.

Dental and Oral Care Dental and oral care remains a major health care costs primarily born by the individual, resulting in many disadvantaged Australians unable to access appropriate dental and oral care. An increasing disparity in oral health and access to dental care between high and low-income adults continues. It is estimated that 40% of the adult population face barriers in accessing dental care due to cost.2

People on concession cards are 20% less likely to visit a dentist than non-card holders and are more than twice as likely to have a tooth extracted.3 This leads to significant health and social impacts, including employment opportunities being restricted, productivity and self-esteem reduced, speech impeded, and pain, discomfort and difficulties with eating affecting health and quality of life.


• Fast -tracking of the 2004-2013 National Oral Health Plan.

• Increased commitment to access for dental services for older Australians, including free annual checkups and dental care subsidies.

• Increased investment in public dental care to reduce unacceptable waiting periods, and to improve access for vulnerable populations.

1 http://www.abs.gov.au/ [online] viewed 16 July 2010. http://www.alcohol.sa.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=882 Menzies Centre for Health Policy, 2007, Dental and Oral Health Policy Issuer Paper. [online] Viewed: 16 July 2010 http://www.

menzieshealthpolicy.edu.au/other_tops/pdfs_hpa/dentalissue.pdf3 Dr J E Matthews, President of the Australian Dental Association, Media Release13 May 2008.

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Mental Health While 20% of the Australian population experience mental illness of some form, two-thirds of those people receive no treatment in any 12-month period, partially due to unprecedented pressure on the mental health system. Mental illness is more prevalent among income support recipients than non-recipients, with more than 30% experiencing a diagnosed mental illness in any 12 month period.1

Just 6 % of the health budget goes to mental health care but mental illness accounts for 13 % of the health burden.2

Psychiatric bed numbers in Australia have decreased by 80 per cent over the past 40 or so years, during which time the population of the country has doubled. Australia now has one of the lowest numbers of psychiatric beds per capita in the developed world, at about 60 per cent of the level recommended by experts.3

Mental illness is a key factor in social exclusion, leading to such consequences as unemployment, poor housing, poor health and family breakdown. Therefore, early intervention in mental health treatment and prevention is vital to the prevention of social exclusion and safe guard the well being of the most vulnerable Australians.


• Increased expenditure on mental health, recognising that other first world countries spend 10-14% of the total national heath budget on mental health.

• Increased preventative activities, strategies and community programmes in regard to mental health.

• Increased engagement with the community and private sectors to partner in the delivery of mental health care.

• Implementation of Professor McGorry’s “Five Point Plan” which calls for the development of a 10 year action plan and expansion of mental health services.

1 Mental Health Council of Australia 2007, Let’s Get to Work: A National Mental Health Employment Strategy for Australia.2 Sydney Morning Herald :Professor McGorry’s address to the National Press Club 7 July 2010. [online] viewed 16 July 2010 http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/gillard-must-fund-mental-health-mcgorry-20100707-100c0.html3 Column by Vaughan J. Carr, Professor in the school of Psychiatry at the University of NSW, based at St Vincent’s Hospital, and

chief executive of the Schizophrenia Research Institute. www.schizophreniaresearch.org.au , http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/opinion/dont-condemn-patients-to-park-bench-or-prison/story-e6frg6zo-1225842545461

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Gambling Gambling in Australia is estimated to be in excess of $19 billion and is increasingly relied on by most States as a source of taxation revenue, usually in the vicinity of 10% of state or territory revenues. The social costs within the community are estimated to be nearly $5 billion per year.1

The Productivity Commission’s recent report estimates that approximately 2.5% of the adult population are problem gamblers, or at moderate risk of becoming addicted to their gambling habits. This equates to up to 500,000 adults.2 Additionally, it is estimated by researchers that up to 10 additional people are negatively impacted by the gambling of an individual.

The consequences of this include not only increased poverty, but also such public health outcomes as depression, poor nutrition, suicide, and reduced standards of health.

The Salvation Army believes there is a need to reduce harm related to gambling both for individuals and the whole community, and this requires strong and effective legislation on a national basis. The Salvation Army supports the establishment of a new Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Select Council of Ministers on Gambling Reform to progress a national approach to minimise harm caused by problem gambling.


• Removal of Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs) from all gambling venues through the Commonwealth’s banking and telecommunication powers.

• Reduction of the number of Electronic Gaming Machines in areas of disadvantage.

• Implementation of the recommendations of the Productivity Commission’s 2010 Report into Australia’s Gambling, in particular, the establishment of a national pre-commitment system linking all Electronic Gaming Machines on a state-wide basis.

• Development of a comprehensive national strategy to reduce State dependency on gaming revenues.

• Reduction of the amount which players can feed into machines at any one time, to $20.

• Regulate or legislate to increase the shutdown periods for gaming in hotels and clubs.

• Work with other countries to investigate how a more effective multilateral regulatory regime may be established.

1 Productivity Commission, Gambling Inquiry Report June 2010.2 Ibid.

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6 | National Youth Policy Statement

Young people aged 12-24 make up a fifth of the Australian population. They provide valuable contributions now, as well as in the future, and deserve every opportunity to reach their full potential.

Youth is recognised as a period of rapid emotional, physical and intellectual development, where young people progress from being dependent children to independent adults. Young people who are unable to make this transition smoothly can face significant difficulties, both in the short and long-term.

While most young people in Australia are faring well, there are still areas where as decision makers, and service providers we can do better, particularly to ensure that positive outcomes are distributed equally across all cohort groups. Indigenous young people, young people from low-socio economic backgrounds, young people who are not participating in work or study and young people with a disability are all at risk of falling behind their peers.1

As a snapshot:

Almost 1 in 100 young people report being homeless.2

1 in 4 young people aged between 16 and 24 are living with a mental health disorder and 1 in 3 experience moderate to high levels of psychological distress.3

Suicide is the leading cause of death for young people.4

Approximately 22% of males and 16% of females aged 18-24 years have an alcohol abuse disorder. A large number of young people are drinking at levels which place them at risk.5

Young people are more likely to become victims of some violent crimes (including sexual offences and assaults) and are less likely than older victims to report a violent crime. Young men, young people with a disability and Indigenous young people are all more likely to be the victims of violent crime than other young people.6

The number of children subject to a notification of abuse or neglect, the number of children subject to care and protection orders and the number of children living in out of home care are all rising.7

Young people not only require access to fundamental services but also to real opportunities to make a difference, to be heard and to have their rights respected. As a collective, we must foster a place where the contributions and abilities of young people are valued and celebrated.

Recommendations: The Salvation Army calls all political parties in Australia to commit to the following:

• Increased funding for out-of-home care for children and young people who can no longer live with their families as a result of neglect and/or abuse, including therapeutic residential care options.

• Increased access to stable accommodation options and support for young people who are homeless.

• Increased funding for, and emphasis on, early intervention programmes to deal with emerging offending in young people.

• Increased drug and alcohol intervention programmes that are tailored to meet the specific needs of young people.

• Provision of additional support for young people ‘at risk’ of leaving school early to provide them with opportunity to fully participate in the social and economic life of the community.

• Respond to the concerns expressed by young people in the youTHINK: Your Say report (produced in partnership with Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations).8 This report was a product of consultations held with disadvantaged young people across the nation and details from their view point issues of concern and possible solutions for the consideration of Government.

1 Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR), National Strategy for Young Australians, DEEWR 2010 p52 Muir K, Mullan K, Powell A, Flaxman S, Thompson D, Griffiths M, State of Australia’s Young People: A Report on the Social,

Economic, Health and Family Lives of Young People, Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, Commonwealth of Australia, Canberra, 2009, p. 12.

3 Muir et al. 2009, p. 174 Muir et al. 2009, p. 175 Muir et al. 2009, p. 186 Muir et al. 2009, p. 197 Australian Institute of Health and Welfare ( AIHW), Child Protection Australia 2008-09, AIHW, Canberra, 2010, p.vii8 youTHINK: Your Say report available online: http://www.salvationarmy.org.au/salvwr/_assets/main/documents/reports/

youthinkyoursay.pdf

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7 | National Aged Care Statement

The need for aged care reform is urgent and requires strong commitment from all stakeholders, in particular, the Australian Government. The Salvation Army seeks to partner with the Federal and State Governments in health and aged care reform. Such reform will require increased funding and significant de-regulation of the aged care system, with protections in place for the most vulnerable in our society.

The Productivity Commission Review is welcomed by The Salvation Army, however, significant commitment and leadership to forge fundamental changes across aged care is required.

The Service Delivery FrameworkThe current service delivery framework restricts innovation, limits consumer choice and accessibility, leads to the separation of couples and families and is not cost effective in the long-term.


• De-regulation of the regional planning and licensing system with a move toward a retirement living model, allowing aged care providers to deliver residential and community care based on market demand.

• De-coupling of care and accommodation funding so that service users are eligible for care irrespective of their accommodation, using a ‘Medicare’ model for services, creating one system of care funding. This will enable care arrangements for community and residential care to be interchangeable.

• Development of new models of care; and the development of flexible accommodation and funding arrangements.

Arrangements for Special Needs GroupsIn a flexible and de-regulated aged care sector there will be a need for the Australian Government to the:

• Revision of funding arrangements for marginalised and disadvantaged groups in the community, to ensure equity of access.

• Provision of additional funding for programmes that target marginalised and disadvantaged groups.

• Consideration of the introduction of respite or transitional community care packages for homeless older Australians to improve the capacity of transitioning to appropriate services and accommodation.

• Consideration of additional incentive payments to be made to rural and remote workers to assist in attracting workers to these areas.

• Acceleration of the training and registration of nurse practitioners

• Facilitation of the introduction of additional systems, for example, information technology that provides appropriate access between aged care providers and emergency departments.

• Investigation of alternative care models that allow for the introduction of ‘telemedicine’, i.e. medical review of the resident by telephone.

• As the Australian population rapidly ages and the incidence of debilitating chronic degenerative disorders increases, e.g. Alzheimer’s disease, now is the time for Australian Governments at all levels, in partnership with community and corporate organisations, to lead positive change of the aged care system. In doing so, the current Australian community and future generations will address the issues of ageing with dignity and compassion.

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8 | National Workforce Capacity Statement

The Salvation Army has worked with the Australian Government for many years to help meet the needs of Australians across the country. With the financial support of the Government, we have been able to assist homeless people in cities and towns across the Nation; we have helped people suffering addictions to turn their lives around; we have provided a safe and caring environment for our retired citizens; we have helped young people learn both occupational and life skills; we have helped families find missing loved ones and the list goes on.

Our service budgets are unyielding and do not allow us to provide very much more than the fundamental wage to our employees and we are continually grateful for the passion and commitment of those people who work within our Centres and in our local Corps to make a difference in the lives of Australians who are suffering.

We need the ongoing support of our Government to ensure that we have sufficient people, trained and resourced to do their job and to ensure the ongoing work of The Salvation Army as a trusted and integral part of the social support of Australians.

The Not For Profit WorkforceThe Salvation Army in Australia operates as one of this country’s largest not for profit providers of social and community services. With a current workforce of approximately 26,000 employees and regular volunteers, The Salvation Army delivers a range of programs which focus on the needs of the most vulnerable, marginalized and disadvantaged in our community.

In 2009, social services across the country provided much needed assistance to approximately 6.5 million Australians1 . Despite this statistic, which represents close to one third of Australia’s population, a further one person in every sixteen was turned away by services unable to meet their needs, even though they qualified for assistance.2

The social needs of the community are extensive and are growing at a rate where the demand is unable to be met by supply. In 2009, The Salvation Army in Australia assisted over 1 million people (approximately one person every 30 seconds) of which 80,000 people were first time assistance seekers3.

Not-for-profit service providers such as The Salvation Army, however, are seriously underfunded with the average Government funding contracts providing only 70% of the true total service delivery costs.4 This has required not-for-profits to subsidize service costs from other income sources. Compounding this are issues such as the requirement to meet more stringent generic compliance and quality improvement standards as well as a necessity to increase the qualification and skill level of staff. The inability to offer competitive wages adds further complication for the sector, reducing its capacity to attract and retain qualified, skilled or professional staff.

1 Commonwealth of Australia, Centrelink Information, 2008-2009, p.12 ACOSS 2009 Annual Survey3 The Salvation Army - Internal statistical data (conservative)4 Productivity Commission (2010) Report into the contribution of the not-for-profit sector

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The Salvation Army recognises that its ability to continue to meet community needs through the delivery of effective services largely relies on its capacity to attract and retain skilled, qualified and professional staff yet the organisation, like others in the not-for-profit sector, suffers from an inability to pay wages which are commensurate with the broader industry norm. Historically, workers within the sector have been low paid when compared to workers doing the same jobs in Government social services.

The challenge to adequately staff services, attract, skill and retain workers has a direct impact upon staff safety, service delivery and quality outcomes for clients. In the past five years, workers within the sector have endured a substantial rise in job-stress, occupational disease and injury as a direct result of increased exposure to work-related psychosocial hazards1.

In order to meet extra demand for its services, The Salvation Army, like other not-for-profits, looks to the supplementary generosity of the wider community and business for donations, volunteering and support of its income generating activities. Volunteers add to the fabric of the sector and are widely recognized for their myriad contribution, however, just as employees, must be properly equipped and skilled to deliver services and meet safety and quality requirements. Volunteers provide an estimated $15 billion per annum in work value to the sector2. It is imperative therefore, that services reliant upon volunteers be appropriately funded to ensure that their contribution is rewarded through appropriate support responses including relevant training.

RecommendationsTo ensure the capacity of the not-for-profit sector workforce meets the community demands, The Salvation Army calls all political parties in Australia to commit to the following.

• Increased support and value the role of the not-for-profit sector in providing social and community services.

• Increased investment in future workforce capacity building initiatives to address labour market and skills shortages.

• Increased creation of low cost training opportunities for volunteers and employees to address skill deficiencies and emerging technology requirements.

• Support the principles of pay equity for all workers within the sector as compared with similar professionals in other sectors.

• Provision of fully funding pay increases, which may flow as a result of future equal remuneration orders.

• Increased commitment to fund all positions within a service, irrespective of current funding arrangements.

1 LaMontagne AD, Keegel T & Vallance D (2007) Protecting and Promoting Mental Health in the Workplace: Developing a Systems Approach to Job Stress, Health Promotion Journal of Australia 2007,18, 221–8 (citing Marmot M, Siegrist J & Theorell2 Productivity Commission (2010) Report into the contribution of the not-for-profit sector.

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The Salvation Army is a worldwide Christian movement. In Australia we are known as one of this nation’s largest welfare providers. We are dedicated to helping Australians in crisis. Raised up by God, our mission is to:

• Transform Lives

• Care for People

• Make Disciples

• Reform Society

Our vision is that we’re a growing, loving community of people dynamically living God’s mission in a broken world.

This requires us to be people who are wholly devoted to God, obediently responsive to the Holy Spirit, powerfully committed to each other, compassionately engaged with people in need, totally dedicated to reaching other people with the good news of Jesus Christ and leading them to faith.

Our Values

• Human Dignity

• Justice

• Hope

• Compassion

• Community

Media Contacts:

Australia Southern Territory Australia Eastern Territory

Major Brad Halse Major Peter Sutcliffe

Communications Director Communications Director

95-99 Railway Road 140 Elizabeth Street

Blackburn VIC 3130 Sydney NSW 2000

Ph: (03) 8878 4500 Ph: (02) 9264 1711

www.salvationarmy.org.au

Contact us:

www.salvationarmy.org.au

Australia

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