Policy and Advocacy Submissions
Policy and Advocacy Submissions
The AASW’s Social Policy and Advocacy team publicly defend and promote human rights. We draw on members’ experience and insights from all areas of social work practice. We submit to Parliamentary Inquiries (Federal, State and Territory), government reviews and public discussion papers, recommending reforms that will address disadvantage and discrimination.
Many of the AASW policy submissions are publicly available. For information about others contact [email protected].
Our Policy Submissions
Children, Young People and Families
- Models of Youth Mental Health Care (2025)
- Queensland Sentencing Laws (2025)
- Children’s Foundational Supports (NSW) (2025)
- Children’s Foundational Supports (Commonwealth) (2024)
- Bullying and Harassment in Tasmanian Schools (2024)
- A Framework for Assessing Children’s Support Needs (2024)
- WA Inquiry into Historic Forced Adoption (2023)
- AHRC Review of Youth Justice and Child Wellbeing Reform (2023)
- Evaluation of the National School Chaplaincy Program (2022)
- ACT Raise The Age of Criminal Responsibility Bill (2022)
- Qld Youth Justice Reform (2021)
- Inquiry into Extremist Movements (2021)
Child Protection
- AIFS Reviews of Out-of-Home Care (2025)
- QLD Child Safety Commission of Inquiry (August 2025)
- QLD Child Safety Commission of Inquiry – Visit to Cairns, QLD (August 2025)
- National Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children (2021)
- NSW Inquiry into Child Protection and Social Services System (2021)
- Vic Inquiry into Historical Forced Adoption (2020)
- Redress Scheme Second Bill (2018)
- Redress Scheme for survivors of institutional child sexual abuse (2018)
- Victorian Inquiry into Youth Justice Centres (2017)
The Climate Crisis
- Australia’s Disaster Resilience (2024)
- Climate Change Amendments (Intergenerational Justice) Bill (2023)
- Climate Action Statement (2023)
- Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation (2020)
- WA Climate Inquiry (2019)
The Community Sector
- Reforming Human Services (2017)
Disability and the NDIS
- NDIS Supports Rules (2024, 2025)
- NDIA Request for Information (2025)
- NDIA Request for Tender (2025)
- Mandatory Registration of Support Co-ordinators (2025)
- National Roadmap to Improve the Health of Autistic People (2024)
- Getting the NDIS Back on Track (No1) (2024)
- Draft National Autism Strategy (2024)
- Draft Model Registering NDIS Workers (2024)
- AASW Submission Royal Commission People With Disability (2022)
- NDIS Implementation and Forecasting Inquiry (2022)
- An Ordinary Life at Home (2021)
- Inquiry into Independent Assessments (2021)
- Inquiry into Autism (2021)
- NDIA Inquiry into Access and Eligibility (2021)
- Supported Decision Making (2021)
- An Ordinary Life at Home (2021)
- Interventions for Children on the Autism Spectrum (2021)
- National Disability Strategy Consultation (2020)
- NDIS Support Co-ordination (2020)
- NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission (2020)
- NDIS Workforce (2020)
- Inquiry into the Adequacy of NDIS Planning (2019)
- Inquiry into Thin Markets (2019)
- Review of the National Disability Agreement (2018)
- Market Readiness for the NDIS (2018)
Digital Health
Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence
- WA FDV Workforce Capability Framework (2025)
- Submission to SA Royal Commission on Domestic, Family, and Sexual Violence (2024)
- The Family Safety Plan (2024)
- WA Evidence Bill (2024)
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Action Plan to End Violence Against Women (2023)
- Draft National Plan to End Violence Against Women (2022)
- Inquiry into Federal Family Violence Orders (2021)
- NSW Inquiry into Coercive Control (2020)
- Inquiry into Family, domestic and sexual violence (2020)
- Action Plan to end violence against women (2020)
- My Health Record (Strengthening Privacy) (2018)
- Fair Work Amendment (Family Violence Leave) (2018)
Family Law
- AASW Submission Report Writers in the Family Court (2021)
- AASW Submission Family Law Inquiry. (2019)
- AASW Submission Review of Family Law System: Discussion Paper (2018)
- AASW Submission Review of Family Law System: Issues paper (2018)
- AASW Submission Family Violence Family Law (2017)
Health
- NSW Health and wellbeing Strategy (2025)
- Safe and Responsible Artificial Intelligence in Health Care (2024)
- Chronic Disease Management Programs (2024)
- Review of Telehealth Implementation (2023)
- Universal Access to Reproductive Health Care (2022)
- ACT Inquiry into Drugs of Dependence (2021)
- Foetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorder (2019)
- National Preventative Health Strategy
- NSW Inquiry into Birth Trauma
- NSW Equity, Accessibility…Mental Health Services
Housing and Homelessness
- Inquiry into Homelessness in Australia (2020) Housing Affordability
- Housing Affordability (2018)
Human Rights
- The Queensland Human Rights Act Review (2024)
- A Federal Human Rights Act for Australia (2023)
- Measuring what Matters I & II (2023)
- 2022 Federal Election Platform (2022)
- Ending Indefinite and Arbitrary Detention Inquiry (2022)
- Family Reunion Visas (2021)
- NSW Anti Discrimination (Religious Freedom) Bill (2020)
- Nationhood (2019)
- Qld Human Rights Bill (2018)
- Section 18C, Racial Discrimination Act (2017)
- Inquiry into Sustainable Development Goals (2018)
- Citizenship Legislation (2017)
Income support
- Inquiry into Parents Next (2021)
- Continuation of Cashless Welfare (2021)
- Cashless Debit Card transition (2019)
- Centrelink Compliance (2019)
- Adequacy of NewStart and Related Payments (2019)
- Drug Testing Trial (2018)
- Intergenerational Welfare Dependence (2018)
- Cashless Debit Card Trial Expansion (2018)
- Cashless Debit Card (2017)
- “Better Management…” (Automated Debt) (2017)
LGBTIQA+ Inclusion and Rights
- ACT Variations in Sex Characteristics (Restricted Medical Treatment) Bill (2022)
- VIC LGBTIQ Strategy (2020)
- NSW Anti-Discrimination Amendment bill (2020)
- Religious Freedoms Bill: (second draft) (2020)
- Religious Discrimination Bill (2021) and move up to under 2022
Mental Health
- A Mental Health Curriculum Framework for Undergraduate Health Degrees (2024, 2025)
- Interim report on the Productivity Commission’s Review of the Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Agreement (2025)
- National Early Intervention Service Draft Delivery Model (2025)
- NSW Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy, Mental Health Commission of NSW (2025)
- National Suicide Prevention Strategy (2024)
- Equity, accessibility and appropriate delivery of outpatient and community health care in mental Health Care in NSW (2023)
- Review of the Qld Workers’ Compensation Scheme (2023)
- Inquiry into Mental Health and Suicide Prevention (2021)
- Response to the Draft Report Social and Economic Benefits (2021)
- AASW Submission the Social and Economic Benefits of Improving Mental Health (2020)
- NSW Gambling Harm Minimisation Bill (2020)
- NSW Review of School Curriculum (2020)
- MBS Review Mental Health Reference Group (2019)
- Submission to the Recommendations from the Report from the Mental Health Reference Group 2018 – MBS Review Taskforce (2019)
- Submission to the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health system (2019)
Older People
- Ending Mistreatment and Abuse of Older People (2025)
- Aged Care Quality Standards (2022)
- A New model for Regulating Aged Care (2022)
- Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety (2020)
- Aged Care Workforce (2019)
- Quality of Care in RACF’s (2018)
- Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (2018)
- Aged Care Quality and Safety Framework (2018)
- New Aged Care Act Service List
Reconciliation and Self Determination
- The Family Safety Plan (2024)
- AASW Submission to the Indigenous Voice to Parliament (2021)
- Close the Gap Refresh
Rural and Remote Locations
- Inquiry into Services in Rural and Remote Australia (2020)
- NSW Regional and Rural Health Outcomes (2020)
- Accessibility and Quality of Mental Health Services in Rural and Remote Australia (2018)
Veterans and their families
- Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide 2nd Submission (2023)
- AASW Preliminary Submission to Royal Commission Defence Veteran Suicide (2022)
Workforce Quality and Supply
- National Allied Health Digital Uplift Plan (2025)
- Tasmanian Health Complaints Scheme (2025)
- Draft National Allied Health Workforce Strategy (2024, 2025)
- Independent Review of the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme (2024, 2025))
- National Standards for Counsellors and Psychotherapists (2024)
- Unleashing the Potential… Response to Issues Paper 2 (2024)
- Unleashing the Potential… Response to Issues Paper 1 (2024)
- Unleashing the Potential of the Primary Health Workforce (Scope of Practice Review) (2023)
- Review of Australia’s Higher Education System (2022)
- Jobs and Skills Australia Bill (2022)
- Care Sector Code of Conduct (2021)
- Regulatory Alignment in the Care and Support Sector (2021)
- National Mental Health Workforce Strategy (2021)
- Care Workforce Labour Study (2021)
- Job Ready Graduates Package (2020)
- Accredited Mental Health Social Workers: Qualifications, skills and experience (2019)
- Submission to Social Work Registration (South Australia) Bill: I (2018)
- Submission to Social Work Registration (South Australia) Bill: II (2018)
- Administration of Registration by AHPRA
- Inquiry into Mental Health of First Responders (2018)