Policy and Advocacy Submissions
- Home
- »
- About AASW
- »
- Social Policy and Advocacy
- »
- 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 and State), 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
- Parliament of Australia Quality and Safety of Australia’s Early Childhood Education and Care System (2025)
- Parliament of Australia Thriving Kids Initiative (2025)
- Models of Youth Mental Health Care (2025)
- Queensland Sentencing Laws (2025)
- Commission of Inquiry into Child Safety, visit to Cairns, QLD (2025)
- Queensland Child Safety Commission (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)
- TILDA Consultation, Department of Social Services (2022)
- 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)
- National Strategy Advisory Groups to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse (2022)
- 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
- Parliament of Australia Thriving Kids Initiative (2025)
- 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)
- Review of Family Violence Information Sharing and Risk Management – Office of the FVRIM (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)
- DoHAC Primary Health Network Review (2025)
- Medicare Safety Net Reform (2024)
- 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)
- Palliative Care and End-of-Life Information (2020)
- 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
- Review of the QLD Charter of Victim’s Rights (2025)
- The Queensland Human Rights Act Review (2024)
- A Federal Human Rights Act for Australia (2023)
- Measuring what Matters I & II (2023)
- 2022-2023 Australian Budget Priorities (2022-23)
- 2022 Federal Election Platform (2022)
- Ending Indefinite and Arbitrary Detention Inquiry (2022)
- Family Reunion Visas (2021)
- Restrictive Practices Consultation (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
- TILDA Consultation, Department of Social Services (2022)
- 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)
- Models of Youth Mental Health Care (2025)
- Draft Mental Health Curriculum Framework Consultation (2025)
- National Intervention Service Review (2025)
- National Mental Health Curriculum Framework Consultation 1 (2024)
- National Suicide Prevention Strategy (2024)
- Equity, accessibility and appropriate delivery of outpatient and community health care in mental Health Care in NSW (2023)
- AMHSW Fee Schedule and Policy (2023)
- Review of the Qld Workers’ Compensation Scheme (2023)
- Tasmania’s Suicide Prevention Strategy (2022)
- 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)
- Mental Health Commission Consultation Vision 2030 Blueprint and Roadmap (2020)
- MBS Review Mental Health Reference Group (2019)
- Accredited Mental Health Social Workers: Qualifications, skills and experience
- 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 approach to worker screening in the care and support economy (2025)
- National Allied Health Digital Uplift Plan (2025)
- Tasmanian Health Complaints Scheme (2025)
- Workcover QLD Accredited Mental Health Social Worker Table of Costs Review (2025)
- Return to Work SA – Accredited Mental Health Social Workers Fee Review (2025)
- Draft National Allied Health Workforce Strategy (2024, 2025)
- Safe Work Healthcare and social assistance model Code of Practice HSCA workshop (2024)
- Independent Review of the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme (2024, 2025)
- Accord Post-Budget Implementation Consultation Papers ATEC- Department of Education (2024)
- National Standards for Counsellors and Psychotherapists (2024)
- QLD Health Research Workforce Strategy (2024)
- Proposed reforms to the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (2024)
- Unleashing the Potential… Response to Issues Paper 2 (2024)
- Unleashing the Potential… Response to Issues Paper 1 (2024)
- Feedback for the updated Financial Assistance Scheme Victoria guidelines and templates (2023)
- Unleashing the Potential of the Primary Health Workforce (Scope of Practice Review) (2023)
- AMHSW Fee Schedule and Policy (2023)
- Draft Regulations and Regulatory Impact Statement for Social Services (2023)
- 2023 Review of the Operation of the Queensland Worker’s Compensation Scheme (2023)
- Review of Australia’s Higher Education System (2022)
- Jobs and Skills Australia Bill (2022)
- ANZSCO ABS Consultation (2022)
- Primary Health Reform (2021)
- AHPRA Administration (2021)
- Workcover QLD (2021)
- Private Health Insurance Reforms (2021)
- 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)