Agency News

UnitingCare Australia's National Director, Lin Hatfield Dodds said today that long run social priorities can be delivered in this year's Federal Budget by redistributing existing revenue and scaling back wasteful tax concessions. "The starting point for the 2013 Budget is that the economy is performing well, but is vulnerable to weak international conditions. "While this context does not give the ...

Prison chaplains from all over Queensland gathered for their annual conference in April to support each other and to empower, encourage and equip people to work in the field. UnitingCare Community Prison Ministry coordinator and senior chaplain Beatriz Skippen said the conference was unique, as it was an open forum for everyone who wants to help or understand how to ...

Fifty years after Lifeline volunteer counsellors took their first call, the telephones are still running hot. Journey looks back to the beginnings of this remarkable organisation. The first call made to Lifeline was at 5 pm on 16 March 1963, one minute after the telephone lines were opened. The crisis counselling service was founded by the late theologian, evangelist, and ...

UnitingCare Australia has encouraged all political parties and Independents to support the aged-care legislation tabled in the Federal Parliament on 14 March. National Director Lin Hatfield Dodds said the five Bills will provide older Australians with better choice and access to a range of services and supports, regardless of their ability to pay. These principles are in line with recommendations ...

Two mothers with a dream of establishing a respite centre for families of children living with a disability have won the 2012 Wesley Mission Brisbane (WMB) Campaign for Change initiative, announced on 13 February. Kath Coory and Tina Graham hope to give local families a break by setting up Project Sleepover, an out-of-home respite centre where children can enjoy a ...

Queensland's largest not-for-profit service provider, Blue Care, is in clean-up mode following the wild weather caused by ex-tropical cyclone Oswald. Executive Director Robyn Batten said it was the third time in two years that Blue Care had launched its organisation-wide disaster management plan. "For almost two weeks the wild weather presented challenges for our team of 10000 staff and volunteers. ...

On this International Women's Day (Friday 08 March 2013) UnitingWorld are delighted to support our partner churches throughout the Pacific as we launch: Transforming Lives through Leadership: a project with Pacific Women. Why theological training? When Pacific women enter the church in leadership positions they can transform whole communities. Women within our partner churches tell us first-hand about the anguish ...

UnitingWorld has launched a project to support the training and ministry of women in Pacific communities. Transforming Lives Through Leadership is the first project of a major UnitingWorld initiative focusing on gender in the Pacific. It will support women at theological college, providing them with practical resources including student fees and accommodation, and encouraging them to take leadership roles in ...

Blue Care Charleville Community Care celebrated its 30th anniversary with a morning tea on 26 February. Blue Care Charleville Community Care Service Manager Mary Dunne began working at the service in its first year in 1983 as a registered nurse. “When I first started there were only two nurses, now there are 14 staff members who hold various roles including ...

As Australians battle multiple natural disasters across the nation, Frontier Services staff are doing what they can to stand beside people and lend a hand. In Queensland, Frontier Services is supporting people who have been inundated with flood water and at the same time others who are desperate for rain on their properties so they can feed livestock. In the ...