National News

UnitingCare Australia has welcomed the passage of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) through Federal Parliament on March 21, and has called on the states and territories to fund their share of the scheme. National Director, Lin Hatfield Dodds said the NDIS promises to provide tailored support to meet the individual needs and aspirations of people with disability and, critically, ...

The Western Australian Synod of the Uniting Church has reacted to the recent drowning deaths of asylum seekers off Christmas Island with calls for a new government approach to the issue. Moderator Rev Ron Larkin said that it is time to recognise that our deterrence regime will not work. "If people are denied family reunion, then more women and children ...

Uniting Church justice staff from across Australia have today joined dozens of organisations and thousands of people in calling for work rights for asylum seekers living in the community. Senior Uniting Church spokespeople said they are proud to support the Right to Work campaign. "The right to work is a fundamental human right for all – especially the most vulnerable. ...

It's part of our church traditions, but will it be part of our future? Journey reports on songwrite, the first national gathering of worship songwriters in the life of the Uniting Church. Thirty songwriters, musicians, mentors and coaches from across Australia came together for songwrite at Kippax Uniting Church, Canberra over the weekend of 15 – 17 February. They gathered ...

In the lead up to the federal election on 14 September, the Micah Challenge coalition has launched a national campaign to accelerate Australia's contribution to halving world poverty by 2015. Finish the Race will mobilise Christian churches, organisations and individuals across the country in a united appeal to Australian politicians to prioritise the commitment to the UN Millennium Development Goals ...

As the nation reels from one of the worst fire seasons in years, Nigel Tapp reports on the aftermath of the bushfire which almost annihilated a Tasmanian community. Before January, not many Queenslanders would have heard of the tiny southern Tasmanian town of Dunalley. But over 24 hours on 4 January Australians witnessed horrifying images of a ferocious firestorm which ...

The national task group appointed to frame the Uniting Church response to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse held its second meeting in Sydney on 24 January 2013. The task group has advanced work on a Statement of Uniting Church Values to guide the Church’s response to a variety of frameworks. The Statement of Values draws ...

Rev Dr James Haire AM, former President of the Uniting Church in Australia (2000-2003) has received the Companion (AC) of the Order of Australia in the Australia Day 2013 Honours List. He was recognised for eminent service to the community through international leadership in ecumenical and interfaith dialogue, the promotion of religious reconciliation, inclusion and peace, and as a theologian. ...

The President of the Uniting Church in Australia, Rev Dr Andrew Dutney, has asked church members to continue to pray for and support those facing losses from bushfires. "Dozens of homes and a life have been lost in New South Wales and Victoria, along with thousands of hectares of farming land and many livestock," said Dr Dutney. More than 50 ...

Australian Religious Response to Climate Change (ARRCC) has launched an online Climate Action Kit. "ARRCC has a vision of more and more Christian communities taking concrete steps to help care for creation," says ARRCC President Thea Ormerod. "Globally, humanity must find ways of living in harmony with the environment rather than simply exploiting it. Business-as-usual is no longer an option. ...