Catholic Social Services Australia (CSSA) proudly announces its inaugural Governance Forum, scheduled for 1-2 July 2024 at Mary MacKillop Place, North Sydney. Designed for Board Directors and Advisory Council members of Catholic social service providers, this event aims to explore governance challenges and opportunities, both common to the NFP sector and unique to faith-based services. Participants will hear from a range of experts in the field, can engage in discussion, ask questions, and network with colleagues from across the country, enriching their knowledge and connections within the Cat ..read more

Wednesday 24 April 2024, from 10:30 am – 11:30 am (AEST) This webinar explores recent amendments to the Fair Work Act 2009 and their implications to employer obligations and responsibilities regarding workplace sexual harassment, sex discrimination, and victimization. This webinar also offers practical advice on preventing and handling sexual harassment incidents at work. CSSA members can register here: https://bit.ly/4acvMS8 The post Respect@Work & Psychological Safety Webinar appeared first on Catholic Social Services Australia ..read more

Catholic Social Services Australia (CSSA) stands in solidarity with social service providers and advocates, urging the Federal Government to use the 2024-25 Budget to strengthen our social safety net. CSSA is calling on the Government to increase the rate of JobSeeker, Youth Allowance, and related payments to at least the rate of the Age Pension, which is just under $80 per day. While CSSA acknowledges the Government’s recent initiatives to alleviate cost of living pressures, including the restructuring of the Stage 3 Tax Cuts to enhance fairness, there remains an urgent need for targeted reli ..read more

Catholic Social Services Australia and Catholic Social Services Victoria warmly invite media members to attend the upcoming national Catholic Social Services Conference, a key event scheduled for February 21-23 at the Catholic Leadership Centre in Melbourne. Under the theme ‘Commons, Commonality, Common Good,’ this event will bring together social services experts across Australia, inspiring essential thought-provoking conversations and positive concrete action for the common good. The Conference boasts an exceptional line-up of speakers that will interest media members. The esteemed Bishop Vi ..read more

Catholic Social Services Australia (CSSA) has long argued that the Stage 3 Tax cuts legislated in 2019 would exacerbate income inequality and should be either abolished or substantially reconfigured. CSSA welcomes the Labor Government’s announcement today that the tax cuts will be restructured to better support low and middle-income Australians. CSSA’s criticism of the original Stage 3 Tax cuts was that they provided only minimal cost of living relief to people earning under $120,000 per annum, with the greatest benefit going to those earning over $180,000 per annum, representing just the top ..read more

‘It is in the interest of our health and our future to ensure that everyone’s wellbeing is safeguarded,’ according to Catholic Bishop of Parramatta, Vincent Long Van Nguyen OFM Conv. ‘It is also in the interest of a better society and a better world that the human and social infrastructure of the “care economy” be prioritised more than profit and success.’ Bishop Long has expressed these words in the lead up to the 2024 national Catholic Social Services Conference in Melbourne from 21-23 February. Bishop Long joins an esteemed list of keynote speakers at the conference, including Dr Julie Edwa ..read more

Welcome to CSSA’s Agency Heads Meeting and Advocacy Event Recap! We invite you to explore the highlights of our recent Agency Heads Meeting and Advocacy Event, where CSSA members from every corner of Australia converged in Canberra for two impactful days. Our goal was clear – to engage in vital discussions with influential decision-makers, including Ministers, policy designers, and senior advisors, forging connections that amplify the Catholic voice for social justice. The event culminated in a special dinner at the prestigious Hyatt Hotel on November 28, where we were honoured by the presence ..read more

Catholic Social Services Australia (CSSA) member agency heads convened from across the nation for a two-day advocacy event at Parliament House, strengthening connections with Ministers, policymakers, and senior advisers. This gathering, held on the 28th and 29th of November 2023, was a pivotal moment for the CSSA network to engage with the Australian Federal Government on critical social justice issues. Monique Earsman, Executive Director at CSSA, highlighted the pressing concerns within their member network: ‘With rising costs of living, increasing homelessness, and food insecurity affecting ..read more

Catholic Social Services Australia (CSSA) Members and staff extend their profound gratitude as Mr. Francis Sullivan AO concludes his term as CSSA Chair this month. Mr. Sullivan’s journey with CSSA began in late 2020, a critical time when the organisation had just recently transitioned to a company limited by guarantee, which was a shift from its former status as a commission of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference (ACBC). This period also included significant changes to its funding base that necessitated a comprehensive restructuring, leading into a rebuilding phase. Under Mr. Sullivan’s ..read more

Australia’s major Church providers (Anglicare Australia, Catholic Social Services Australia, St Vincent de Paul Society, The Salvation Army, and UnitingCare Australia) remain committed to walking alongside Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people toward healing and hope. We reaffirm our commitment to, and support for, the Uluru Statement from the Heart as a generous invitation from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to all Australians. We know this outcome will raise questions for many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people about what this means for our shared future.  ..read more