The Chapel, Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture,
15 Blackall Street, Barton (cnr with Kings Avenue).
Governing with integrity: A failed project struggling to be revived
The Robodebt Royal Commission has given Australians dramatic evidence that the very underpinnings of our system of government have been trashed at great cost to the country. The erosion of the Westminster system of government with its requirements that the public interest be served at all times with transparent accountability has too often been distorted and ignored. The Australian Public Service has been degraded and compromised. A culture of secrecy and whatever it takes to gain power and retain it has set Australia on the path of Banana Republic style corruption.
The last election may well prove a watershed moment the nation craves. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is promising his government is committed to integrity, honesty and accountability, then again the preceding Morrison Coalition government consistently denied it had failed in this regard.
About the speaker
Paul Bongiorno has been a member of the Federal Parliamentary Press Gallery for thirty-five years. He is a columnist for the Saturday Paper and The New Daily and a regular 7AM Podcast contributor. In 2014 Paul was made a Member in the General Division of the Order of Australia for significant services to the print and broadcast media as a journalist, political commentator and editor. For seventeen years he was Network Ten’s political editor and bureau chief as well as the host of the network’s weekly political program “Meet The Press.” Paul began his career in television journalism in 1974. He started out with the Seven network in Melbourne. He is married with two daughters and has a Master’s Degree in Theology from the Pontifical Urban University in Rome.
Chambers Pavilion, Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture,
15 Blackall Street, Barton.
“How can Christians authentically address ethical issues today?”
Mobile phones. Email. Social Media. Zoom.
Communication has never been more accessible or abundant. But never has public discourse seemed more divisive or polarised.
How can Christians remain true to the rich heritage of their tradition while offering a constructive voice into some of the most pressing and antagonistic ethical issues of our time?
The answer may have less to do with the ethical positions Christians take than in the habits of discourse that they practise. Such an approach isn’t to render Christian ethics relative but to discover that the source of Christian speech shapes not only its content but also its contours.
About the speaker
Amy Erickson (PhD, University of Aberdeen) is Lecturer in Theology and Ethics at St Mark’s National Theological Centre and the author of Ephraim Radner, Hosean Wilderness, and the Church in the Post-Christendom West (Brill, 2020). Amy is an exciting, interesting speaker. She has taught students in Texas USA and Fuller Theological Seminary. She lectures at St Mark’s in Theological Ethics, Old Testament History and Narrative, Hermeneutics, and Spirituality and Contemporary Engagement.
If people are compassionate, where does that leave economics?
Economics is built on the assumption of a “rational economic man,” a being that is said to make decisions solely on the basis of maximising “utility”.
But there’s an awful lot of evidence that people aren’t like that, being generous to others in ways that couldn’t possibly advance their own interests, and being prepared to harm their own interests rather than be party to arrangements they don’t think are fair.
It has sparked debates in economics about how much the profession will have to change to incorporate reality, or whether it should.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Peter Martin AM
Peter Martin is a member of the Holy Cross Anglican Church at Hackett and is and Business and Economy Editor of The Conversation.
A former Commonwealth Treasury official and former economics editor of The Age, he has reported economics since 1985.
Peter was the ABC economics correspondent from 1985 to 2002 reporting for the flagship programs, AM and PM.
He was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2019 for significant service to multi-platform and print media as an economics journalist.
Forum Chair: Mr Clive Rodger, Chair, Christians for an Ethical Society
CHAMBERS PAVILION (NB – this time, not the chapel)
AUSTRALIAN CENTRE FOR CHRISTIANITY AND CULTURE
15 Blackall Street (near Kings Ave) Barton
The forum will seek to encourage discussion from the floor.
A donation would be appreciated.
Christians for an Ethical Society (ces.org.au) is a Canberra-based ecumenical forum which seeks to engage with the ethical challenges of the contemporary world, locally, nationally and internationally.
Contact: Ann Skamp – secretary@ces.org.au www.ces.org.au
Economic journalist Peter Martin AM addressed this topic in discussion with Christians for an Ethical Society in Canberra on 21 February. Peter is well known for his insightful economic commentary for The Conversation, The Age and the ABC. Christians for an Ethical Society (ces.org.au) is a Canberra-based ecumenical forum which seeks to engage with the ethical challenges of the contemporary world, locally, nationally and internationally.
Economics as an academic discipline encourages the self-centred outlook known as homo economicus, founded on allegedly rational self-interest. Yet a better foundation is possible. We see this from the observation that people are generous to others in ways that couldn’t possibly advance their own interests, and are prepared to harm their own interests rather than accept arrangements they see as unfair.
The problem Peter raised is that so-called “Rational Economic Man” behaves contrary to our basic recognition that we live together with other people in social networks of care and concern. We do not exist as disconnected and isolated individuals. As the renowned Australian researcher Hugh Mackay has observed, the whole field of sociology is based on human interconnectedness. Yet the training of ‘homo economicus’ encourages a heartless attitude, based on wrong assumptions about perfect competition, and increasingly ignoring the problems of concentration of power and wealth. Traditional economics allows the market failure of growing inequality. Allowing self-centred views to dominate society, as seen especially in the USA, has fostered growing inequality that threatens social cohesion and wellbeing.
In the Ultimatum Game, designed to test views on fairness, a person is given $100 on the basis that they must share it with someone else. Only if the second person accepts the offered amount does either get anything. Peter explained that people readily see equal sharing of such a windfall as fair and acceptable. But tests of this game have found on average that the second person would prefer nothing rather than an offer below $30. When our innate sense of dignity and equality is affronted, we reject the supposedly rational idea that a derisory gift is better than nothing. Generosity and fairness are basic human values.
Audience discussion with Peter further explored ethical problems of inequality. The core Christian ethical principle that what we do to the least of the world we do to Jesus Christ (Matt 25:40) is a call to promote equality, connection and respect. An economy that allows the wealthy to impose monopoly and cartel corporate structures creates a political climate where decisions are based on corruption, avoiding regulation. It is difficult to fix this problem because incentives for politicians often put vested interests before the public good. Australian superannuation funds make investment decisions and CEOs enjoy bonus systems that skew corporate incentives to focus on short term profit rather than longer term results. We see increasing domination by the top 1%, risking a breakdown in our social contract.
Peter suggested one option to help reduce inequality would be to tax capital gain profits from investment property at the full rate. He commented that the concept of wellbeing can guide economic policy in government decisions. We can enhance overall wellbeing through actions on sustainability – looking to the long term; complexity – simplifying public interaction with government; and risk – ensuring vulnerable people are protected.
Economics tends to assume a high discount rate, leaving future generations to look after themselves. Peter noted that this attitude fails in relation to climate change, given the high risks from global warming, but economic policy can help solve this problem by pricing carbon emissions as an externality.
Christians for an Ethical Society seeks to increase public understanding of how we can improve wellbeing. Peter Martin commented that our political system often ignores policy options that could best achieve such ethical goals, due to a lack of public engagement seeking to influence government decisions. While the economics profession has highly contested views and values, it is essential to encourage more debate and discussion of economics, in order to give more prominence to the findings of research and encourage more ethical policies.
How we respond to issues concerning the environment and climate change is significantly shaped by our beliefs, world view and philosophy of life. Lynn White in 1967 stated that the Genesis story which gave “dominion” over all creation had been interpreted to mean the natural world exists “ explicitly for man’s (sic) benefit and rule and that nothing in the physical world exists for a purpose other than for human purposes.”
Fifty five years later we read these words with shame. Dominion never meant exploitation and desecration. We were in fact to act as responsible stewards of creation and respect its beauty, fragility and purpose.
Our last Forum for the year looked at how we live responsibly in the world. The Greens have reshaped our thinking on the environment. Jo Clay spoke on her own philosophy and values with a response from Alison Weeks, who drew on Pope Francis’ writings on the environment and what that means to live responsibly.
ABOUT THE SPEAKERS
Jo Clay MLA
Jo Clay MLA is an ACT Greens member for Ginninderra (Belconnen). Prior to entering politics in 2020, Jo worked on the environmental ethics of everyday living. She set up a recycling company, ran a project to cut the average Australian carbon footprint by 75%, supported school strikers and worked in active transport. Each day, Jo asks herself two questions. What is the right thing to do, now that we are in a climate emergency? And how should we look after future generations?”
Alison Weeks
Alison Weeks, chair of the Catholic Archdiocese Caring for Creation movement and deputy chair of the Catholic Women’s Taskforce, in response will highlight the messages of Laudato Si, the 2015 encyclical of Pope Francis, which calls for a new approach to caring for our common home. In response to the cry of the earth, which is also the cry of the poor, we need to live and act in love, respect and connectedness with all of God’s creation. For Christians, this calls for a fundamental shift from exploitative dominion to the nurture and repair of stewardship.
Forum Chair: Mr Clive Rodger, Chair, Christians for an Ethical Society
Now that this forum has taken place, here is a report on it by Katy Nicholls.
“Time to abandon guilt and embrace loving action – living responsibly in today’s world”
Christians for an Ethical Society Forum November 23 November 2022
“What can I do today to help the climate emergency? And how can I look after future generations?” Jo Clay, Greens MLA for Ginninderra, asks herself these questions every day. In a very personal address, Jo told the attendees at a Christians for an Ethical Society forum that she became a Christian long before she joined the Greens, and shared part of her story, guided by those questions, and an enthusiasm for how many options there are now to make a change. The two key other personal features she shared were the variety of experience she has, from entrepreneurship to law, climate activism to counter-terrorism, and the powerful focussing effect of having a baby, who gives a face to future generations.
In attempting to find her own response to those questions, Jo has developed and documented her carbon diet (https://www.carbondiet.com.au/jo-clay), reducing her family’s carbon footprint by 75 per cent while still enabling them to enjoy what matters in life (including steak on Saturday night), noting that the average Australian emits about 22 tons of carbon equivalent a year; developed a patented recycling company; found new ways to express her hedonism and thrill seeking with a lower footprint that flying across the world on a whim (ziplining off buildings for charity anyone?); and entered politics where she daily confronts the toxic false dichotomy of ‘people or the planet’, noting that people will not survive without a planet.
Recent successes for Canberrans she listed were: 7-star ratings for buildings, ensuring they will be well insulated and designed to increase comfort and reduce heating and cooling costs; introducing a ‘get off gas’ policy; and working on reducing transport emissions, starting with electrifying the government fleet and public transport, and supporting electric vehicles. The Climate Council has rated the ACT as being the most advanced of all States and Territories in clean transport (https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/resources/are-we-there-yet-clean-transport-scorecard-for-australian-states-and-territories/).
In response, Alison Weeks, Chair of the Catholic Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn Caring for Creation (CFC) movement, reflected on the similarities between the Greens’ approach of social justice and ecological sustainability with calls of the Pope to recognise that everything is connected and to embrace the paradigm of integral ecology. She discussed the Catholic Church’s response to God’s creation, reflecting particularly on the 2015 encyclical from Pope Francis: Laudato Si – On Care for our Common Home. Alison noted that Christians brought the unique perspective of placing God at the centre, and that Genesis charges humans with an obligation to care for creation. Humans are not at the centre of the universe, but each one of us is one of God’s creation. Alison’s talk emphasised that there is no difference between the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor – the earth has become one of the poor.
The local CFC movement has learnt that a crucial step to enable change is educating ourselves to see anew, and then to find a common language including respect for difference. Actions they are initiating include solar panels, divesting fossil fuel investments, encouraging electrical vehicles.
What key questions will you use to guide your actions of living in the world with inclusive love?
The Chair of CES, Clive Rodger, thanked both speakers and the many interested questioners, and noted that the next forum will be in 2023, with Peter Martin as the speaker.
Photo: Alison Weeks (L) and Jo Clay MLA (R)at CES forum 23 November 2022
Christians for an Ethical Society (ces.org.au) is a Canberra-based ecumenical forum which seeks to engage with the ethical challenges of the contemporary world, locally, nationally and internationally.
There are various ways and means of being homeless or understanding homelessness. Homelessness can be forced upon us by circumstance, understood as a violence inflicted by nature or human intervention. We can also play a significant part in our own homelessness or emotional sense of homelessness. Various forms of homelessness, physical, philosophical and spiritual, can be equally destabilising. A home brings security, sanctuary, belonging and identity – essentials for our peace. A home is essential in the discovery of who we are.
In this theological reflection, Kasy explored practical (immanent or historical) and spiritual (transcendent) notions of homelessness in discerning that a home is a human right as well as a heavenly promise. Ultimately, from a theological perspective, homelessness is an eschatological question of salvation, or human flourishing, ‘on earth as it is in heaven’, understood as two dimensional: in human time and on God’s time.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Kasy Chambers
Kasy Chambers is Executive Director of Anglicare’s national body overseeing 35 agencies with almost 30,000 staff with over half a million clients.
A highly capable CEO, Kasy has years of experience in social welfare and housing policy.
Forum Chair: Mr Clive Rodger, Chair, Christians for an Ethical Society
Justice is a very important concept of a principal value that underpins a society that is fair and where the humanity of its members is respected. It is unsurprising, therefore, that it is a concept that has high visibility in the Bible.
There are many categorisations of “Justice”, but a helpful analysis identifies five types: distributive (or economic) justice, procedural justice, retributive justice, restorative justice and environmental justice.
Justice is most commonly connected with the courts, which are often described as the institution which is central to the administration of justice and, accordingly, it is worth looking at them and how they do this, in dispute resolution and especially in sentencing. Richard will explore some of
the issues in this context in which he has worked in various capacities for over the past 45 years.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Acting Justice Richard Refshauge
His Honour, Justice Refshauge works in the sentencing of drug and alcohol offenders. He worked in legal practices before becoming the ACT’s 3rd DPP. He took silk in 2000 and was appointed a Supreme Court Judge in 2008 and served in that position for a decade. Richard has held many community positions and holds professorial positions at both ANU and University of Canberra Justice Refshauge has had a long involvement with the church and particularly the Anglican Church where he holds the position of Chancellor. He is very actively involved in both Diocesan and national affairs for the Anglican Church including being Deputy Chair of its Appellate Tribunal.
Forum Chair: Mr Clive Rodger, Chair, Christians for an Ethical Society
TUESDAY 23RD AUGUST 7:00PM
Chapel, Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture, Blackall Street (corner of Kings Ave), Barton ACT
The forum will seek to encourage discussion from the floor. $5 donation would be appreciated. Christians for and Ethical Society is an autonomous mainstream Christian organisation.
Contact: Ann Skamp – secretary@ces.org.au
Venerable Tom Henderson-Brooks Anglican Archdeacon – Mission and Chaplaincy spoke at the forum on Wednesday 18 May 2022, 7.00pm at the Chapel, Australian Centre for Christianity & Culture, 15 Blackall St Barton.
Compassion has long been something that has motivated Tom. It is something that one feels deep within one’s guts. Recognising the divine reality of our deep seated convictions provides not only motivation for responding to human need, but it also creates resilience and courage to enter situations and contexts that were never imaginable in my youth. Tom will take us on a journey of a life of faith.
About the Speaker
Tom has been an Anglican Priest for over 30 years. He cut his teeth ministering for a decade in Kings Cross and embraced addicts, lawyers, sex-workers, traders, inmates, doctors, the homeless and HIV+ people as his congregants and his friends. There he set-up Rough Edges, a volunteer legal centre and advocated against Vanunu’s 18yr solitary sentence. He’s led small to large parishes in Darlinghurst, Bondi, Nowra, Turramurra and Rockhampton; has been an Anglicare Regional Manager and also an Anglicare Board Director in QLD and the ACT. He’s been happily married for over 35 years to Caroline, a linguist who grew up on the west coast in an iron ore town. Before moving to the ACT, Tom was the Administrator (Vicar General) of the Diocese of Central Queensland and he is currently part of the Episcopal Office leadership team overseeing Chaplaincy and Mission across the Anglican Diocese of Canberra-Goulburn.
Article by Katy Nichols, Christians for an Ethical Society, Board Member
Genevieve Jacobs AM, speaker at Christians for an Ethical Society dinner, with co-chairs Clive Rodger (L) and Stephen Pickard (R)
Media matters never more than now, Genevieve Jacobs AM, Group Editor of Region Media, told the attendees of the Christians for an Ethical Society annual dinner on 15 March 2022. Her talk, which also told us much about her own history and love for what is good, true and beautiful, covered two key issues: why should we care about the media and what should we do about it.
Why should we care about a strong and independent media?
Of greatest relevance to her audience, she stressed the bearing independent news has on our capacity for ethical decisions. Critically, independent media is a vehicle for truth-telling, and all thoughtful people need truth and a variety of voices, as no-one owns all the truth
She invited us to imagine a future without strong media – important court cases would not be reported (for example Mabo, or more recently Bernard Colleary), government budgets would go unchallenged, information on disasters and recovery would be limited, and false news would be promulgated by governments and other sources.
A quick survey of risks to a strong independent media and reasons for the decline in trust in journalism (apart from the commonly known issues of changing platforms and revenue), included evidence of confusion between fact and opinion (many people do not know what an editorial is); and that a better knowledge of the focus of readers (people read politics and sport much less than thought) leads to a temptation to write for click bait.
Truth and information gathering is difficult and costly, and no one funding style one size fits all media. Despite multiple government inquiries into the media, there is only modest funding for independent media: she noted she worried about a future funded by Facebook, Google and government grants.
We were reminded that it was important to have a diversity of voices: the tendency for an echo chamber in social media means that people become used to only hearing one story, and consequently push for exclusion of alternative points of view. President Trump may have made an art form of transforming “news I don’t like” into “false news”, but many people are objecting to voices they don’t like being given an airing – such as the recent objection to an interview with Zachary Rolfe.
What we should do about it?
Ms Jacobs told us that free independent media is driven by the need to tell the truth, but this takes great courage. At its extreme, it can lead to death, and we were reminded of a number of murdered journalists through decades and across the world.
She proudly noted Region Media’s ethical standards, including integrity, independence and responsibility; accuracy; impartiality and diversity of sources; proudly multicultural; and enabling free, fair and robust conversation.
We need to appreciate that independent media is a fundamental function of free society – and the ‘boring’ stuff not covered by social media is often critical to keep the community informed.
We were urged to defend independent and local media strongly, through engaging robustly with it and supporting it. We were urged to appreciate the variety of voices out there and read a wide range, including those we disagree with. Finally, we were encouraged to engage with it intellectually – to think about what the platform is trying to say, and why, not simply to dismiss the report if we disagree.
Christians for an Ethical Society (ces.org.au) is a Canberra-based ecumenical forum which seeks to engage with the ethical challenges of the contemporary world, locally, nationally and internationally. Our next forum will be on 18 May 2022: Tom Henderson-Brooks on Christ, Compassion + Context – following the Christ who calls us to live compassionately in our changing context.
About the Speaker
Genevieve Jacobs AM is the Group Editor for Region Media, Australia’s fastest growing digital news platform. Genevieve chairs the ACT arts minister’s Creative Advisory Council and co-chairs the ACT Reconciliation Council. She sits on the boards of the Cultural Facilities Corporation, the National Folk Festival and is chair of the Canberra International Music Festival. She is also a director of the Conflict Resolution Service and the Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture. She was made an AM in the Australia Day honours list for her service to public broadcasting and the community. Genevieve has an enduring interest in building community engagement, and is a partner in the family farming enterprise.
Dear CES readers and especially those responsible for homilies or sermons in the month of May,
Most of us will have read Kasy Chambers’ excellent letter on this site. And, as Christians for an Ethical Society, many of us will join her in proclaiming that we certainly do not want our nation to revert ‘back to normal’ after seeing so much admirable change in social policy. We are inspired with developments like the doubling of Newstart, moves to accommodate the homeless in safer places like hotels, the opening of private hospitals to more community access, additional leave entitlements, more equitable Job-Keeper payments to keep us attached to our jobs and the moratorium on evictions from private rental. As Kasy says, we don’t want to revert to a nation which has a two-class workforce, no housing security for renters, denial of the culture and custodianship of our First Nations Peoples, abuse of our planet’s resources causing climate change and species extinction and our shameful stewardship of this country which is related to drought and bushfires.
At this point in Australia’s history, it seems vital to me that, as Christians, we look at what we can do and how we can sustain the good policy changes we have seen in response to COVID-19. Very helpfully. Meredith Lake has pointed out, in her recent book about the history of the Bible in Australia, the way the social justice themes in our sacred texts have had a profound influence on the course of our social policy in the past. The question for all of us now is, ‘How can we follow up that tradition at this new turning point in our national history?’
Now of course I don’t hold myself as any kind of expert but I have drafted a good few sermons in my time and have regularly attended Pitt Street Uniting Church in Sydney, St Carthage’s Roman Catholic Church in Melbourne, St Ninians Uniting Church in Lyneham and the Quakers in Turner, when I have lived in proximity to these communities. They have each nourished me wonderfully in their own way. Studying theology and backgrounding Rev Tim Costello for a few years has also made me aware of the power of a good homily or sermon so I have taken a look at the lectionary for May, and will now jot down a few thoughts I have about how our texts might help us to retain the visionary social policy changes which we imagine and ask for most Sundays in the Lord’s Prayer. When we pray, ‘Thy kingdom come’ we know that we want to sustain those developments which Kasy lists as ‘impressive’.
For the first Sunday in May (3 May) we have Paul in Acts 2:44-45, telling us that ‘All who believed together and had all things in common, They would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need’ and our most beloved Psalm 23 sharing that ‘the Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want’. This is such beautiful material from which to look at the important work of sharing provided by the doubling of Newstart and the introduction of the equitable job-keeper payment. Thinking of the Lord being everyone’s shepherd is such a powerful reminder of the way some are still missing out as described in the Winnunga piece on our website about the over-representation of indigenous people in prison.
Then on the second Sunday in May (10 May), there is a gift of a well-known passage in John 14. ‘In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you’. Of course, this passage is traditionally used when thinking about death but isn’t it demonstrating a recognition from Jesus that safe housing is central to our existence? Isn’t it a sign that ensuring appropriate housing should be a central focus of our social policy, and haven’t we an obligation to cry out with relief and insist that any provision of housing for the homeless in a Canberra winter is an essential part of our Christian obligation?
And then, on the third Sunday (17 May) we have Psalm 66 which has the Israelites calling out for notice and space. We listen to them so shouldn’t we be listening to those who today are similarly oppressed with wage theft, inadequate holidays and insecure employment? We could be encouraged to hear them when we read the Israelites call out, ‘You let people ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water, yet you have brought us out to a spacious place’. Couldn’t we preach about how the current generous policies have brought so many of our oppressed citizens into a more spacious place, and about how it is our duty, as Christians, to sustain them there?
And finally in week 4 (24 May) could we hear, in Psalm 28, verses like number 5 in which we have an inspiring definition of God? We read that ‘Father of orphans, and protector of widows is God in his habitation.’ We as Christians want this protection of the orphan, of the widow, and indeed of all the disadvantaged, and here we learn that this protection is in our very definition of the One we worship.
I know that you are all sensitive to the congregations to whom you have given pastoral care and I am no expert in the manner or matter of what you say. And I know that you must and that you will choose and use texts as the Spirit moves you so please forgive me for writing to you in this way and for presuming to remind you of the rich relevance of our sacred texts. I suppose I have been impressed with the unusual and most fruitful collaboration we have seen between political parties and between state and federal governments and I crave to see the same collaboration between the leaders of our Christian churches.
The coronavirus or COVID-19 has laid bare the weaknesses in our society.
The GFC, bushfires, and many other disasters drew upon individual generosity, but did not really change the underlying structure of society. During the GFC, I wrote that I hoped the close fiscal call many experienced, would soften how we responded to those less well off; that more cautious consumption could lead to a more sympathetic environmental footprint. However neither came to be on a large scale; en masse we forgot the shock and busied ourselves again being productive.
This time, the crisis is different. None of us can be truly cushioned. Inter-generational wealth won’t help, neither will being young or fit guarantee immunity from the worst effects. This time the health of every single member of the public rests upon the weakest plank of our society’s structure.
Hence, one by one, we are seeing those horrifically weak planks being addressed. How can we guarantee the public’s health when half of Australian workers don’t have access to paid leave entitlements? When many people live in barely affordable rental properties, how can we avoid a huge increase in the homeless population with deteriorating health for them and those around them? And how could we expect people to stay healthy while living on the lowest unemployment benefit in the OECD.
Federal and State governments have acted and deserve credit for an impressive list: A doubling of the Newstart rate; real action on getting homeless people off the streets as we approach winter; opening private hospitals for community benefit; addressing the precarious nature of people’s employment with one-off payments; additional leave entitlements (for some the only leave entitlements); the massive Job-Keeper payment designed to keep people attached to their jobs; the moratorium on evictions from private rental –
Notwithstanding this list, there are still some left behind – each time the lowest income group is lifted it uncovers new poverty and inequities. At the moment, people living on the Disability Support Pension need urgent consideration as they struggle with increased food prices, and often additional health vulnerabilities. Similarly those on an aged pension without the security of owning their own home will be struggling; carers are another group yet to attract much needed attention in this pandemic. People are still sleeping rough in some jurisdictions, including here in Canberra where the overnight temperature dropped to five degrees on the weekend.
Despite this it is an impressive list of responses and time will tell what additional benefits are gained from each of them – we will certainly be looking for that.
Now, as people start look to the future, there is talk of “getting back to normal”. I am resisting that narrative. What is normal about the precariousness of leaving half a national workforce without any leave entitlements? With a two-class workforce, half the people enjoy career progression, training and leave; while the rest swirl around in a peripheral job churn of casual hours, underemployment and the gig economy. They are not able to access what the first half consider to be societal norms, like the housing market, or even look to a superannuated future in their old age.
What is normative about a housing market that favours wealth development over home and shelter? This is an opportunity to swing the balance of residential tenancy agreements in recognition that people live long term in rental housing, seeking to call it home. This security is denied when “no reason evictions” and short-term leases are commonplace.
How could we intentionally go back to a structure which by its nature excludes Aboriginal and First Nations people, even denying their culture and custodianship. How can we possibly go back to the “normal” of taking 5 or 6 times more than the planet is able to repair. Or to an Australia with a shameful species extinction record. Since European arrival 1,790 species are recorded as being on the brink, and this is before the catastrophic 2019 bushfires. We must not move on too quickly from the dual disasters of prolonged drought and catastrophic bushfires, both direct results of our shameful stewardship of this beautiful continent. The health and well-being of many rural and regional communities were already worn and fragile before COVID-19 arrived.
The list goes on – but it is clear the way we were, is not something to aspire a return. A society that dismisses poverty as individual failure, or treats environmental sustainability as an economic nuisance, is not worthy of membership. Post COVID-19, there is no place for government policies that shift money to the top quintiles of society and reward environmental damage.
With the first part of the response to the pandemic posited to take 6 months we have time to plan, and to imagine. We have long pointed out that a society is what we choose – we are the architects, we are the citizens. The community sector has a particular role to play. We are the first responders in disasters. Our people are on the frontline handing out material aid, advice and often comfort. Our services form a safety net for people in personal disaster – family violence, children unable to remain with their families, homelessness, etc.
But we are also far more than that. The community sector at its best is society at its best. The values of Anglicare Australia and its members support the very relationships that have been identified as central to overcoming the current pandemic and inspire a spirit of volunteerism in others. We are able to look ahead and imagine what life could and should look like. We provide services that are the safety net, but we are also part of the rich and deeply woven fabric of those communities.
We will be working over the next months to both ensure none are left behind in the initial response to this dreadful pandemic, while using our influence to ensure more progressive policies shape the future. We will work hard to not get back to the old normal, but build a future in which economy serves equity and justice, kindness and empathy.
About the speaker
About the speaker
