Category: Social Impact

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Social Impact

The presence of God while in the hands of police

I was one of a number of church leaders who entered the Ellenbrook office of Hon Christian Porter MP on Monday. We went to ask Mr Porter and the Federal Government to bring to Australia all people imprisoned in offshore processing centres. We took this action in solidarity with the more than 400 men on Manus Island who are refusing to leave the ‘closed’ processing centre.

We went there in love, because we believe that Love Makes A Way.

The men imprisoned on Manus are engaging in nonviolent resistance, and demanding the rights and freedoms afforded to them by the Refugee Convention. As part of the Love Makes A Way movement, we hold a strong commitment to nonviolence and are seeking a response of compassion and justice from the government.

We went in love.

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Social Impact

Do not walk away from Manus Island refugees

Uniting Church in Australia President Stuart McMillan has called on the Australian Government to ensure the safety of refugees on Manus Island as the main detention facility is due to close today.

Around 600 refugees have refused to leave because they fear their safety outside of the Regional Processing Centre.

“Australia cannot walk away from its responsibility to guarantee the safety of these men who have already suffered so much uncertainty and fear,” said Stuart.

Water and electricity will be turned off and food and medical services will no longer be provided as the centre is shut down today.

The Australian Government plans to transfer the refugees to other accommodation closer to the island’s main town of Lorengau.

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Social Impact

Calls for peace and safety for Rohingyan people

According to the United Nation’s Refugee Agency the UNHCR, there are now over 412,000 Rohingya refugees estimated to have fled to Bangladesh since 25 August. This is a massive humanitarian crisis in our region and according to Rev Steve Francis, Moderator of the Uniting Church WA, a situation requiring the urgent attention and action of world leaders.

The Moderator joined with a number of faith leaders on Saturday 16 September on the steps of Parliament House to add his voice for peace in the Rakhine state of Myanmar.

“Aung San Suu Kyi has earned a Nobel Peace Prize for her work supporting democratic reforms for her people, so we know the capacity and willingness to work for peace is present – we now urge her to stand up for the Rohingyan people too. All people, no matter their ethnicity or religion deserve human rights,” Steve said.

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Social Impact

Newstart and Youth Allowance payments trapping people in a poverty cycle

The Uniting Church Western Australia has called on the Federal Government to make an immediate commitment to increase Newstart and Youth Allowance payments to allow thousands of vulnerable Australians to live in dignity above the poverty line.

The proposal was agreed at the church’s 41st Annual Synod over the weekend, with church members, congregations, schools and agencies urged to support the push and lobby their Federal Members as part of Anti-Poverty Week activities (Sunday 15 to Saturday 21 October 2017).

Rev Steve Francis, Moderator of the Uniting Church WA, said the current rate for Newstart and Youth Allowance was significantly below the ACOSS poverty line and change was needed urgently to help people break free of the poverty cycle.

“At Synod we unanimously agreed to lobby the Federal Government to commit to an immediate process to increase Newstart and Youth Allowance payments to provide recipients with the resources to live above the poverty line,” Steve said.

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Social Impact

We can do better than this cruel treatment

The President of the Uniting Church in Australia, Stuart McMillan, has condemned plans to cut Federal Government support from a group of asylum seekers living in the Australian community.

Widespread media reports suggest that several hundred asylum seekers transferred to Australia from offshore detention for medical reasons will be placed on new category ‘Final Departure Bridging E’ visa.

Those affected will be left with no income support and forced to move out of government-supported accommodation. They will also be expected to leave Australia or return to offshore detention after six months.

A third of those affected are children. More than 20 are women who are survivors of sexual assault or rape.

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Social Impact

New aged care facility

Construction of a new 100-bed residential aged care facility in Perth’s southern suburb of Martin has commenced. This latest project for Juniper, a Uniting Church WA agency providing aged care, is one of many around the state including in Kununurra, Albany, Rowethorpe, Menora and Karrinyup.

Announcing the start of onsite work in May, Vaughan Harding, Chief Executive at Juniper,  said the project was a significant investment by the organisation as it works to double its capacity to respond to growing community need for aged care services.

“This exciting development will bring high quality residential accommodation, designed to provide a full continuum of care to frail, older Western Australians,” he said. “In addition to creating  more opportunities for employment in the aged care sector the new facility will provide cutting edge amenities with focus on quality design and construction.”

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Social Impact

Sewing the seeds of change in West Papua

“I just wear my second pair of pants and stay in my house until it is over.”

This was the response from one of the young West Papuan women when asked what she usually does when she gets her period.

In many countries and regions, including West Papua, it is not uncommon for women and girls to withdraw from school, employment and social connection when they are menstruating. This can put them persistently behind in their education, risk their income security and place unfair stigma upon them. Coupled with poor hygiene practices and limited access to appropriate sanitary materials, girls can end up falling well behind in many of the development outcomes that groups like the UN suggest we should be trying to improve.

Enter Ann Gobby and Days for Girls.

Ann is a Uniting Church member and part of the Black Pearl Network that supports the development work of Uniting Church partner church, Gereja Kristen Injili Indonesia di Tanah Papua (GKI-TP).

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Social Impact

We can do better for refugees and asylum seekers

Uniting Church members from congregations across WA will come together with other churches and community groups at 1.00pm this Sunday 9 April for the fourth Palm Sunday Walk for Justice for Refugees at St George’s Cathedral, 38 St Georges Terrace, Perth.

This year, it will be led by a couple of particularly special guests: two donkeys will be heading the walk, as part of a re-imagining of the original Palm Sunday story. Rev Steve Francis, moderator of the Uniting Church WA, went to visit the donkeys with James Jegasothy, vice-chair of the Centre for Asylum Seekers, Refugees and Detainees (CARAD).

“They are very cute,” said Rev Francis, “but they are also a symbol that Jesus deliberately employed to communicate the nature of his message. A message of humility, peace and love, especially for the outsider and the stranger.”

The Uniting Church will be an active participant in Palm Sunday walks which are happening in cities around Australia. The Uniting Church has continually advocated for the rights of asylum seekers and refugees as reflected in the Assembly’s statement Shelter from the Storm. 

The Perth event has over 40 community organisations, churches and human rights groups calling for humane policies for asylum seekers and refugees (see list http://justice4refugeeswa.com/about/).

Rev Steve Francis, moderator of the Uniting Church WA, said, “The people stuck on Manus Island and Nauru are suffering, even though they sought our help.

“Australians are compassionate people. We know that we can do better than the limbo to which we sentence asylum seekers.  Whether it is offshore or onshore detention, bridging visas or temporary visas – people cannot lead fulfilling lives amid such fundamental uncertainty about their futures.” 

The voices of refugees themselves will be centre stage at the beginning of the walk with messages from refugees on Manus Island to be read out.  Iranian poet and refugee, Arad Nik will also be present to perform one of his pieces. Here he shares an excerpt from Boat and Pain (English translation):

My sad face, asks for your sympathy.

In my dream is a poor child.

‘Sleeping’ boat children on the beach, makes you distraught.

City mindlessness is poison for my thought.

Moaning buried in the sea, makes you sad.

The passion of this poetry – gives them voice anew.

Hearing tears from over the ocean, leaves us in sleepless vigil.

Participants are invited to bring a palm frond to St George’s Cathedral this Palm Sunday before peacefully following the donkeys on a brief circuit through the city.

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Social Impact

Hot topics for this State Election

The Western Australian State Election will be held on Saturday 11 March. Here, ‘Revive’ shares some
of our hot topics for the Uniting Church WA at this election.

Keep an eye out for election resources from the Social Justice Unit of the Uniting Church WA. For more
info call Geoff on 9260 9800 or email geoffrey.bice@wa.uca.org.au

 1. Climate change and renewable energy

The Uniting Church WA believes that God’s creation, the Earth itself and all the life it supports, is precious
and that the Earth’s resources exist for the good of all. It is calling for strong action to tackle greenhouse gas
pollution in WA, by moving towards renewable energy, improving transport and urban design, food security
and a process to help workers move away from coal and other destructive industries. The Uniting Church
WA is a recent signatory to the Renew WA Climate Consensus Statement. Follow them on Facebook to find
out more at ‘renewWA.’

The destruction of bushland for the Roe 8 project has been a big concern for the Uniting Church WA and the
Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress, which not only is harming the Beeliar wetlands and the
wildlife it supports, but is destroying land which has been sacred to WA’s Indigenous people for thousands
of years. Revive has previously reported on this issue, and to find out more visit www.rethinkthelink.com.au.

2. Fracking

‘Fracking’ is a process of pumping fluid at high pressure into rock formations underground to help release
gas which is trapped in the rocks. It is a big issue for WA, as there are gas deposits all over the state,
including in the Kimberley, the South West and the Mid-West, with exploration licences also covering parts
of the Gascoyne region and inland from the Ningaloo coast.

Concerns surrounding fracking include health, water safety and availability, greenhouse gas emissions and
damage to the environment. Ask your candidates this election if they will support a legal framework that
enables landholders and traditional owners to refuse access to their land for gas exploration or production.

3. Uranium mining

The Uniting Church WA recognises there are complex issues surrounding uranium mining, but is calling
on individuals, churches, industry and government to work together to end involvement in the nuclear fuel
cycle. The current State Government has recently given approval to several mines, including the Yeerlirrie
proposal, despite it being rejected by the Environmental Protection Authority. Concerns are held about the
possibility of the uranium mined in WA contributing to the proliferation of nuclear weapons. There are also
potential health hazards in transporting radioactive material, and the process uses a large amount of water
– a precious resource in WA. Ask your candidates what will happen to the nuclear waste that began as
uranium in WA deposits.

4. Social Reinvestment

Through its involvement with Social Reinvestment WA, the Uniting Church WA has called for changes
to WA’s criminal justice system. A popular mantra around election time for both major parties is that WA
needs to be ‘tough on crime’ and that this will somehow keep our communities safer. The Uniting Church
WA, however, calls for a smarter, more holistic and preventative approach including an end to mandatory
sentencing, addressing prison overcrowding and reforms to the processing of women, people with
disabilities, mental illness and drug related problems who enter the criminal justice system. Read Revive’s
feature article here, or visit www.socialreinvestmentwa.org.au for more information.

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Social Impact

UnitingCare aims for strong voice on social justice

Claerwen Little says her key focus as the new national director of UnitingCare Australia will be to ensure that the agency is a strong and respected voice in Canberra and across the nation achieving change for those who are most vulnerable.

Having recently commenced in the role, Claerwen says she is excited by what the UnitingCare network can achieve together.

“We represent the nation’s largest network of community service providers and I am ready and full of enthusiasm and inspiration for what we can achieve as a community of passionate people committed to social justice.

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