SVDP In Australia Challenges Both Parties To Act On Poverty

SYDNEY, April 15, 2007 ( The St Vincent de Paul Society has called on both sides of politics to act on the key recommendations of the Senate Poverty Inquiry Report tabled three years ago. Dr John Falzon, chief executive officer of the Society’s national council, said it was a “national disgrace” that three years had passed and the findings of this landmark inquiry had been “monumentally ignored”.
“Vincentians from right across Australia gave evidence at this inquiry, and they and many of our brothers and sisters from other civil society organisations, faithfully told the stories that have been entrusted to us by the people who are pushed to the margins,” he said.

“The least we can do as a nation is to ensure that both sides of politics go into the next Federal election with a clear message on how they will fight the scourge of poverty and inequality in Australia.”

The Poverty Inquiry took nearly 12 months to gather evidence from 340 witnesses across Australia.

The Senate Community Affairs Reference Committee received 274 submissions.

The key findings of the inquiry were: unacceptable levels of poverty (up to 3.5 million people); a growing gap between rich and poor; growing inequality of opportunity in housing, health, education, and full-time jobs; more than a million people with jobs who are still poor – “the working poor”; inadequate support for people without jobs; and widespread disadvantaged groups, particularly in rural and regional areas.

The most important recommendation (out of the 95) was the call for a national summit to develop a national strategy to address poverty and inequality, and the establishment of an organisation to implement and oversight the strategy.

Dr Falzon said this key recommendation was “close to the heart of the St Vincent de Paul Society”.

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(Thanks to Tim Williams of Australia for Drawing attention to this story. }