Compounding poverty: Three issues to learn about this Anti-Poverty Week

Take the time to learn more about some of the little-known issues affecting people on the lowest incomes this Anti-Poverty Week at this event organised by the Antipoverty Centre and facilitated by Simon Schrapel, Anti-Poverty Week National Co-Chair and Chair of the Accountable Income Management Network.

We will hear from Central Land Council General Manager Dr Josie Douglas alongside elected council members Roxanne Kenny and Maryanne Malbunka about a vital campaign to reduce poverty for people living in remote areas. We will also be joined by Dr Terese Edwards, CEO of Single Mother Families Australia, to learn about practical options for people who are issued debt notices related to child support and government payments.

The Antipoverty Centre will be sharing our new “mutual” obligations rights guide for the first time, for welfare recipients and supporters to help stop job agencies using unfair and unlawful payment suspensions against people with compulsory activity requirements.

There will be opportunities for questions and discussion so come along to hear our perspective and share yours.

This event is free for all to attend and will include live Auslan translation and captioning. Things kick off at 3:30pm AEDT / 3pm ACDT / 2:30pm AEST / 2pm ACST / 12:30pm AWST on Tuesday 13 October.

We encourage welfare recipients, unionists, community sector workers and anyone with an interest in economic justice to join us. This event is free for all to attend. If you can comfortably afford to do so, we would welcome a solidarity donation (available on ticket page) to help cover the costs of running the event.

nb: Humanitix will request your full name, however we do not need this information. Enter whatever you are comfortable with when asked for your name.

AGENDA

• 3:30: Introduction 

• 3:35 What's the Remote Area Allowance and how does it need to change?

• 3:55 How Services Australia debts happen and what to do when one is issued

• 4:15 Know your rights: A new resource for supporting welfare recipients with "mutual" obligations

• 4:35 Final reflections and closing remarks

• 4:45 Event concludes

INCLUSION

• Live captioning and Auslan translation will be available.

• We can arrange other language interpretation or other supports on request. Email coordinator@antipovertycentre.org with the subject line: Accessibility booking for online event.

• We do not tolerate racism, transphobia or any other form of discrimination.

Central Land Council
Dr Josie Douglas is the Central Land Council’s general manager professional services. A descendant of the Wardaman people in the Northern Territory, she has extensive expertise in Aboriginal social justice, land rights, policy development and the Aboriginal Community Controlled sector. Dr Douglas is an experienced national advocate and has extensive management and governance experience. She has held senior research positions at CSIRO and Charles Darwin University. In 2017 Dr Douglas received the prestigious WEH Stanner Award for her PhD examining the inter-generational acquisition and transmission of Indigenous ecological knowledge.

Maryanne Malbunka is an elected delegate of the Central Land Council and the deputy president of the Mac Donnell Regional Council. She is a Western Aranda women, who speaks langauages Western Aranda, Luritja and English Ms Malbunka works as health practitioner for Ntaria clinic, and has worked for the department of health for more than 30 years, she has also held roles as a book-keeper for Ipolera Aboriginal Corporation and worked with NT Parks as a ranger. Through her work as a health practioner Ms Malbunka likes to helping community members manage chronic health problems and interpreting.

Roxanne Kenny is an elected delegate of the Central land Council (CLC) and has been the president of the Mac Donnell Regional Council since 2017. She is also the director of the Ntaria Supermarket. Ms Kenny is a Western Aranda woman, who speaks languages Western Arranda, Pitjantjatara, Yankunytjatjara, Luritja and English. In her leadership roles with the CLC and Mac Donnell Regional Council Ms Kenny likes to get out to all the communities in her region to meet with people from different language groups and advocating for change. Dr Terese Edwards TBA

Antipoverty Centre
Jay Coonan and Kristin O’Connell are antipoverty activists and social policy researchers with direct experience of the welfare system and long-term unemployment. They established the Antipoverty Centre in 2021 with other welfare recipients to counter problems with politicians, academics, paid advocates and others in the political class speaking over and making harmful decisions on behalf of people they purport to represent.