We're excited to release our 2019 Catholic Social Services Victoria Annual Report, which demonstrates the depth and breadth of the work and mission we undertake, together with our member organisations, the Bishops of Victoria, Catholic parish communities and agencies, our sector partners and government. Writing about the Annual Report in the recent June eNews, Executive Director Joshua Lourensz, writes: "When compiling all the work that went on throughout 2019, I was deeply impressed that so many people from across the member network and beyond came together to make all these events, advocacy and work happen — it is something to be celebrated.

The St Vincent de Paul Society’s National Council President, Claire Victory, has supported calls for a bipartisan National Anti-Racism Strategy to address increasing incidents of racism in Australia. As co-signatory to an open letter to the Prime Minister, Scott Morrison and the Leader of the Opposition, Anthony Albanese the Society has joined with 23 other organisations urging our political leaders to create this urgently needed blueprint for change. 

The St Vincent de Paul Society’s National Council has called on the Federal Government to maintain JobSeeker and JobKeeper until an expert group has been established to provide advice on payment rates that keep people out of poverty. Either the current JobSeeker rate should be retained (an additional $560 per fortnight) or the payment should match existing aged and disability pensions (an additional $370 per fortnight) but people should not be forced back to the old Newstart rates. In its submission to the Senate Select Committee on COVID-19 and the Australian Government’s response to the pandemic, the Society also called for an investment of at least $7.7 billion into social housing.