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News & Announcements

Fire up the barbie for Aussie farmers

With 2020 having already delivered the worst bushfire season on record, floods, a pandemic, and little relief from a nine-year drought, Frontier Services, Australia’s oldest bush charity, is calling on Aussies far and wide to re-unite with family and friends and host a Great Outback BBQ this September to December, in support of our farmers doing it tougher than ever.

From September, Frontier Services, a Uniting Church non-profit organisation dedicated to providing critical face to face support for farmers and grazers in rural communities, is once again encouraging the public to demonstrate a show of mateship and solidarity for our hardworking farmers by gathering a few mates together, buying Aussie produce and hosting a Great Outback BBQ.

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Social Impact

Heads of Churches call for more action on homelessness

The Heads of Churches WA, including Uniting Church WA Moderator Rev Steve Francis, have written to Hon Simone McGurk MLA thanking the Government for their commitments to reduce homelessness, and requesting more measures.

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Social Impact

Re-Uniting WA

Amanda Hunt, CEO of Uniting WA, shares her hopes for a socially inclusive post-COVID world.

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Stories & Feature Articles

On the banks of the River Pumba: Moderator Elect travels back to her childhood church

Susy Thomas, Moderator Elect of the Uniting Church WA, was invited to attend an annual Christian convention at the church she grew up in, in Kerala India. The conference was held in February this year, just before COVID-19 restrictions came into place. She shares her experience.

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Social Impact

Uniting Church WA calls for no-one to be left behind in Refugee Week

During Refugee Week 2020, the Uniting Church Western Australia is calling on all levels of Government to do their part to make sure that refugees and people seeking asylum are not left behind amid the pressures of the COVID-19 crisis.

Rev Steve Francis, Moderator of the Uniting Church WA said, “It has been so encouraging to see the caring spirit of our communities and our politicians as they put aside traditional divides to make sure we all get through this COVID-19 crisis.

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Social Impact

Refugee Week 2020: academics and activism

From 14 to 20 June we celebrate Refugee Week, welcoming those who have come into Australia and celebrating the valuable contribution refugees and people seeking asylum make to our society. The Uniting Church has always been a strong advocate for the rights of people fleeing persecution – but we are not alone in our calls for justice.

Wherever possible the Uniting Church seeks to collaborate with service providers to ensure we are reflecting the needs of people most in need. In the complex field of immigration issues it is also handy to have assistance from academic friends – like Dr Caroline Fleay.

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Social Impact

Campaigners celebrate as WA ends imprisonment for unpaid fines

Campaigners are celebrating new laws passing the WA Parliament, effectively ending the imprisonment of Western Australians who can’t afford to pay off fines.

Amendments to the Fines, Penalties and Infringement Notices Enforcement Act finally passed the Legislative Council last night. The Bill was broadly welcomed by multiple political parties, following a four-year campaign by 24 community organisations, including the Uniting Church WA and Uniting WA, under the leadership of Aboriginal led coalition Social Reinvestment WA (SRWA).

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Stories & Feature Articles

Walking the Swan (Derbil Yerrigan)

Robert Watson, a Past Moderator of the Uniting Church WA, and his wife Nely, both members of Foothills St Martin’s Forrestfield Uniting Church, used their time of physical distancing during COVID-19 to experience Perth in a whole new way.

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Social Impact

Now is the time to move towards a clean energy future

As the Federal Government make plans for Australia’s financial recovery from COVID-19, our Prime Minister is advocating for further investments into the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) industry, as a way of driving jobs and economic growth.

This World Environment Day, however, the Uniting Church WA is calling to use this opportunity to move towards clean energy.

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Social Impact

Do Black Lives Matter in WA?

On Monday night, as Western Australians enjoyed what remained of the WA Day public holiday, a group of Nyungars gathered in Forrest Place with other People of Colour and more than a thousand supporters.

Chants of ‘Black Lives Matter’ echoed through the otherwise quiet Perth streets.

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