Hi Darren and others,
The public media outpouring after a
Budget is indeed a strange time in the political cycle. However, I find
your comment that there needs to be a whole lot more conversing within these
groups a bit strange – because it seems to assume that this is not happening.
I work in the national office of
UnitingCare Australia –
one of the agencies of the National Assembly. There are over 400 agencies
in the UnitingCare network that
provide community services across Australia. Services are
provided for children, families, youth, and people living with disabilities.
We also do a lot of work around aged care – in the community and in residential
settings.
In the national office we try to
help build networks among the agencies and the people who run them. We spend
time meeting and talking and deciding what messages come from the experience of
being involved in community services. The purpose of this conversing or
networking is to decide on the messages we as an agency of the Church want to take
to the Government. We sometimes call this talking to Government advocacy –
and it works at a number of levels. We issue press releases at Budget
time, we speak with various Ministers and policy makers, we write submissions,
we work with other people in the community sector who do policy work. The
messages we choose to take to Government are grounded in our understanding of the
faith, vision and values that we share.
Stephen has just sent around the
press releases we sent out last night. If all we did was to issue press
releases at Budget time – one might conclude as you have that the whole
process is somewhat pointless and divisive. My take on it is that we live
in a big, complex and pluralistic society. As a church we have the responsibility
and the privilege to debate among ourselves what our message is and put it out
there whenever appropriate.
In my view - let the wild circus
continue….and let those of us who have relevant gifts – exercise them
as we are able.
Happy to discuss.
Marg Cotton
Policy Officer
UnitingCare Australia
ph: 02 6290 2160
(Mon-Thurs)
fax: 02 6290 2163
email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
website: www.unitingcare.org.au
From: Darren Wright [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Tuesday, 11 May 2004 11:18
PM
To: insights
Subject: Budgets
I hate budget's...
It's one of those times when i realise just how self centred society actually
is, if you have issues with that comment please pay attention to who are being
interviewed and asked for responses.
The Aged care
The Schools
The Parents
The Pensioners
The Big businesses
The Small businesses
This is nowhere near an exhaustive list, however It illistrates that all of
these groups exist, that it is necessary for each of these groups exist because
noone else is looking after them.
Budget time comes and suddenly every group is out and about talking me me me,
people are happy or arent happy depending on how the budget affects them.
What I'd finally like to see is not a budget that makes a surplus, not a budget
that makes everyone happy, not a budget that people will have to make deals
around.
I'd like to see a whole lot less me me me and a whole lot more conversing
within these groups.
And I'd like to hear a voice that doesn't go me me me but pulls the groups
together.
And I'm praying that this voice I long for comes out of the Church, because we
are the people who should not be looking after ourselves but for everyone...
And I hate budgets because of the divisivness of the whole thing.
Shalom
Darren Wright
Sinner
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