As Anti-Poverty Week gets underway, ACOSS (Australian Council of Social Service) has just released a briefing paper addressing the scourge of child poverty in Australia.
The briefing paper is available online here – http://www.acoss.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/ACOSS-Child-Poverty-Briefing_13-Oct-17.pdf – and it makes sorry reading in a wealthy, progressive nation such as ours.
ACOSS CEO Dr Cassandra Goldie says that child poverty was reduced by 30 per cent before, and it can be done again.
“The basic need of families to have enough money to live with dignity has not changed,” said Dr Goldie.
“Child poverty is a government choice, not a given. It is unfathomable that our government chooses to set policy agendas that increase the number of children living in poverty in this country, particularly children of single parents,” said Dr Goldie.
The full ACOSS Media Release is available here: http://www.acoss.org.au/media-releases/?media_release=lets-tackle-child-poverty-in-australia
Karyn Walsh, CEO of Micah Projects and co-Convenor of Anti-Poverty Week in Queensland, sees the devastating effects of child poverty every day, and is joining the call for something to be done about it.
Dr Casandra Goldie will be joined by speakers including Deputy Premier Jackie Trad MP and Dr Richard Denniss, Chief Economist of The Australian Institute, at a Public Forum to be held at The Edge, State Library of Queensland at 10.00 am on Tuesday 17 October.
