News

5^th December 2012     GRANTS BALLOT FOR NEW AFFORDABLE HOMES IN BENDIGO
by The Australian Government

From tomorrow, 28 families participating in a ballot for grants worth more than $38,000 will choose their block of land in Viewpoint Huntly, thanks to the Gillard Government. more

5^th December 2012     HOUSING STRESS ON THE RISE
by Jackie Hanafie - Pro Bono News Australia

The demand for social housing in Australia is rising and waiting lists remain long, according to a new report by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). more

5^th December 2012     REIA SURVEY FINDS HOUSING MORE AFFORDABLE BUT MORTGAGES BIGGER
by Australian Associated Press

AUSTRALIAN homes are more affordable than they were a year ago despite an increase in average mortgage sizes. more

5^th December 2012     COSTLY INVESTMENTS IN LONG TERM HOMELESS PEOPLE SHOWS RESULTS
by Rachel Carbonell - ABC The World Today

A three year pilot program has found homeless people who were given consistent intensive support across a range of services experience significant improvements in their lives. more

5^th December 2012     CITIES INFRUSTRUCTURE REPORT SHOWS UNDER-INVESTMENT IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING
by Australians for Affordable Housing

The State of Australian Cities report, released by the Hon Anthony Albanese MP, Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, on Tuesday 4 December 2012, highlights the extent to which Australians are being priced out of their cities. Failing to respond is to risk social dislocation and a deepening of the housing crisis. more

5^th December 2012     SURVEY SHOWS TEENS STRESSED OVER FAMILY FINANCES
by Philippa McDonald - ABC NEWS

A national snapshot of young people has found Australian teenagers are worried their parents will not be able to make ends meet and are increasingly trying to get work to help their parents pay the bills. more

5^th December 2012     RIGHT TO FAIR TRIAL AT RISK: JUDGE
by Jane Lee - The Age

THE right to a fair trial in Victoria risks being threatened as a shrinking legal-aid system leaves more people representing themselves, the state's chief justice has warned. more

5^th December 2012     ABORIGINAL HOUSING VICTORIA - UPDATED ALLOCATIONS POLICIES

Aboriginal Housing Victoria have recently updated their Housing Allocations Policies. more

5^th December 2012     HOMELESS YOUTH DUAL DIAGNOSIS INITIATIVE

The Homeless Youth Dual Diagnosis Initiative (HYDDI) is a service for workers engaged with young homeless clients who present with co-existing substance use issues and mental illness. more

5^th December 2012     WEST MELBOURNE TERMINAL STATION UPGRADE NEWSLETTER 1 / OCTOBER 2012
by Lucy Marshall - Sp AusNet

This is the first in a series of newsletters to keep you informed about the planned upgrade of SP AusNet’s West Melbourne Terminal Station. SP AusNet aims to upgrade the facility in a manner sensitive to the surrounding environment, and taking into account the needs of local businesses and community. To ensure SP AusNet is aware of the potential issues of the project, a group of specialists has been engaged to assess the site and its surrounds in terms of noise levels, ecology, traffic, the local economy and other matters. more

4^th December 2012     STATE OF THE CITIES SHOW NEED FOR NEW THINKING ON HOUSING AND TRANSPORT
by The Greens

State of the Cities shows need for new thinking on housing and transport Australian Greens spokesperson for sustainable cities - Senator Scott Ludlam. 4 December 2012. more

4^th December 2012     MOVE TO PLACE PRESSURE ON GILLARD GOVERNMENT REGARDING A NEW SOCIAL WELFARE SYSTEM
by Patricia Karvelas - The Australian

A HISTORIC new alliance between three of the nation's most powerful organisations, representing business, unions and welfare, will today reveal a bold partnership to end long-term unemployment and entrenched disadvantage. more

4^th December 2012     STATEWIDE PRIVATE PRACTITIONER DATABASE LISTS
by FRMP

FRMP has a compiled a Statewide private practitioner database that provides contact details for private practitioners available in each DHS region. more

4^th December 2012     CUTS TO VICTORIAN LEGAL AID - PLEASE SIGN THE LIBERTY VICTORIA PETITION

Liberty Victoria have started a petition calling for a re- think on the funding crisis after discussion recently about cuts to the funding arrangements for Victoria Legal Aid. more

4^th December 2012     ILLEGAL BOARDING HOUSE BLITZ
by Charlene Macaulay - The Star

ROOMING houses have become de facto affordable housing across the City of Maribyrnong. more

4^th December 2012     CHANGE FOR THE HOMELESS
by Charlene Macauley - The Star

TWO City of Maribyrnong restaurants will be asking patrons to donate their loose change to help homeless people over the festive season. more

4^th December 2012     BUSINESS, WELFARE GROUPS AND UNIONS WILL CONVENE THEIR OWN JOBS SUMMIT BEFORE CHRISTMAS
by Phillip Hudson - Herald Sun

BUSINESS, welfare groups and unions have struck a rare alliance and will convene their own jobs summit before Christmas to tackle problems they say keep one in five unemployed people locked out of the job market. more

4^th December 2012     TAX CONCESSIONS FOR THE NFP SECTOR: DISCUSSION PAPER RELEASED

The NFP Sector Reform Council Tax Concession Working Group’s has released a discussion paper titled ‘Fairer, simpler and more effective tax concessions for the not-for-profit sector’. The discussion paper looks at the entire range of tax concessions provided to the sector by the Australian Government, with a view to identifying reform options that could improve their effectiveness, in supporting the work of the sector. more

3^rd December 2012     HOMELESSLAW.ORG.AU WEBSITE

Homelesslaw.org.au is a ‘one-stop shop' that provides targeted and practical information and assistance to lawyers, service providers and clients on various areas of law affecting people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Each section includes an overview or summary, details of further useful resources and contacts and relevant precedents. more

3^rd December 2012     THE GOOD GIFT XMAS CATALOGUE

This Christmas, you can ‘give a gift that gives good’ by using the Social Traders Good Gift Catalogue. The catalogue includes a collection of 200 gifts from social enterprises, ranging from Indigenous bush soaps to upcycled and reclaimed fabric bags and from social blend coffee to social enterprise wine. more