Scoop

Ahead of Anti-Poverty week, director of UnitingJustice Rev Elenie Poulos has written a piece for Wesley Mission Brisbane highlighting the growing inequality in Australian society. In her article she writes about the factors driving inequality both in Australia and overseas: ” … somewhere along the way, the world was hijacked by neoliberal economic theory and now we have an extreme ...

If a referendum vote were held today, 75 per cent of all Australians (including two in three Coalition voters) would vote yes to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the nation’s Constitution. Undertaken by Polity Research for the Recognise movement in March, the research demonstrates strong backing for this change—both in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and ...

UnitingCare Queensland CEO Anne Cross has written an opinion piece on the Conversation about what we can do at work to stop violence in our homes. Often viewed as a private matter not appropriate for the workplace, Anne recounts the stories of women who has been victimised twice by their co-workers by blaming them for “causing trouble” and bringing their “domestic” problems ...

Proposed changes to the free-to-air TV code of practice will most likely lead to a significant increase in alcohol and gambling advertising during prime time family viewing. This would mean that violence, sexual content, advertisements for alcohol, gambling and M-rated movies and DVDs could be screened during earlier time slots. Potential changes to Free TV’s code of practice include allowing ...

The Uniting Church in Australia has joined churches, non-governmental organisations and others in voicing concerns about Indonesia’s resumption of the death penalty. President of the Uniting Church in Australia Rev Dr Andrew Dutney is one of 14 organisational leaders who have written to both the Indonesian ambassador to Australia and to the Australian minister for foreign affairs expressing grave concerns ...

The government has announced a new initiative consisting of $54.4 million in funding over four years for people with severe symptoms of dementia in residential care facilities. “It is very good news,” said Lin Hatfield Dodds, National Director of UnitingCare Australia. “Our agencies provide the largest share of aged care in the country and we are consistently hearing that the ...

UnitingJustice submitted two reports to the federal government in January. The first, submitted to the Department of Immigration and Border Protection, recommended Australia’s Humanitarian Programme intake be increased to at least 25 000 for 2015–2016 and increased over the following years to 50 000 annually. It also recommended that the offshore and onshore program intakes be de-linked, the decision to not accept ...

The Uniting Church in Australia mourns the deaths of those caught up in the hostage-taking incident in a café in Sydney’s Martin Place. Moderator of the Uniting Church in NSW and the ACT Rev Myung Hwa Park has offered prayers and condolences on behalf of the Church. “We continue to pray for those caught up in the terrible events at Martin ...

We all know that you should never work with children or animals, yet the annual nativity play is a cherished tradition in which church communities across Australia re-enact a story precious to our faith. Journey staff present the following tips to ensure that your nativity play is an angelic experience. Apocalypse now Much wailing and gnashing of teeth is caused ...

Are you unknowingly driving newcomers away? American pastor and author, Dale Hudson has named and shamed five things first-time guests hate doing at church on Christian news site, ChurchLeaders.com. The perceptive list includes: not making people wait in line, poor signage, being ignored, being singled out and bad parking. Personally I think bad coffee should be added to that list! ...