Social & Community Services

The Turnbull Government has asked the Productivity Commission to investigate commercialising vital community services – a move that would divert scarce public funding away from supporting victims of domestic violence and homelessness services to shareholders of opportunistic businesses. In the days before the election was called, Treasurer Scott Morrison quietly…

The Turnbull Liberal Government has directed the Productivity Commission to prepare a plan to increase competition and privatisation in community services. Last Friday, the Productivity Commission called for submissions on which community services are fit to be commercialised and privatised. This could include any and all community services, including support…

The 2016 federal election is about priorities. Whether $50 billion of taxpayers’ money is best used on corporate tax cuts or on health, education and infrastructure investment. In this report we demystify the issues for our members and supporters so you can be well-informed at the ballot box. The ASU…

Today at Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s electorate office in Edgecliff, hundreds of community sector workers rallied and delivered pledges to the office collected from around Australia supporting their sector. Accompanying the pledges was a series of demands directed to Mr Turnbull to repair the damage done to local communities through…

Community sector workers and union representatives from around Australia met at Springwood in the Blue Mountains today to discuss their priorities in the campaign to save their sector from devastating cuts imposed by the Turnbull Federal Government. Shadow Minister for Families and Payments and Disability Reform Jenny Macklin met with…

When there are no beds available at a women’s refuge, no community legal services, no financial counselling support, what will you say to the woman leaving her violent partner? “This is the question Malcolm Turnbull needs to answer,” said Linda White, Assistant National Secretary of the Australian Services Union (ASU),…

On Monday 30th May workplace delegates from across Australia met with key stakeholders to discuss and review our campaign to make the NDIS the best it can be. The summit had 3 guest speakers, the first was David Bowen, CEO of the National Disability Insurance Agency. Mr. Bowen spoke frankly…

In his first budget Malcolm Turnbull has confirmed he is a cruel conservative. Tonight in Canberra, ASU officials and staff have been on hand to witness Turnbull’s first budget to give you a rapid overview of how it will affect the communities we work and live in. This cruel budget…

A coalition of civil society groups, led by Australian Council of Trade Unions President Ged Kearney and spanning the aid, women’s, environment and social service sectors, as well as unions, have come together to urge the Federal Government to deliver a Budget that protects the living standards of all Australians,…

Around Australia this Easter weekend, millions will be taking a break and many will spend time with family and friends. Whether Easter itself means something religious or philosophical to you or not, everyone understands the importance of rest and spending time with loved ones. However, a very large number of…