Social Policy

The ACT Branch is committed to engaging with critical policy, advocacy and social justice issues that impact ACT member social workers and their clients.

We invite our members to contribute to the development of submissions and to participate in a range of policy and advocacy actions throughout the year.

If you'd keen to get involved, don't hesitate to contact Hayley at the ACT Branch by email or phone on (03) 9320 1000.

ACT Election 2020

Our Position Statement

A Territory election is a pivotal opportunity for a government to create the conditions under which people will pursue healthy, meaningful and rewarding lives. As social workers, we measure the success of any government based on the social impact of their policies.

The ACT Branch has developed a position statement outlining eight key areas of concern to social workers in the lead-up to the ACT Election which will run between 28 September and 17 October 2020.

These broad areas are:

• Social Work Registration
• Mental Health
• Family Violence
• Child Protection
• Homelessness and Housing
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Issues
• Sustainability and Climate Change
• Youth Justice Reform

The position statement includes brief commentary, a key question and links to relevant AASW statements, position papers, and submissions.

Download or View the ACT Election Policy Platform 2020 here

How Members Can Get Involved

We urge you to write to your local candidates and bring to their attention the issues that social workers are most concerned about.

In particular, we ask you to raise the issue of Registration of Social Workers and highlight the need for urgent action to ensure systemic failures are addressed and vulnerable people and children are protected.

We have developed a template letter to enable you to write to your:

Local Candidates

Party leaders of the Canberra Liberal Party, ACT Greens, and ACT Labor;

Key Ministers and Shadow Ministers

We encourage our members to make contact with their local members and candidates to share your own perspectives and/or draw on our position statement to highlight the issues that are critical to ensuring that the ACT is a place in which people, including the most vulnerable, can pursue healthy, meaningful and productive lives.

For more information and tips about communicating with your local MP or candidates, take a look at our webpage entitled Guidance for Communicating with Your Local MP.

Action to Date

2 September 2020
AASW ACT Branch hosted a Member Consultation to inform development of the ACT Election Policy Platform.

16 September 2020
AASW ACT Election Policy Platform 2020 released.

A Member Bulletin was shared with all ACT AASW members via email asking members to advocate for registration of social workers, and on the issues identified in the Position Statement, amongst their local elections candidates, party leaders and Ministers and Shadow Ministers.

A Template Letter is available for members to personalise and send to local candidates/leaders/ministers/shadow ministers.

17 September 2020

We have sent out letters based on our position statement to the three key party leaders:

The Hon. Andrew Barr, Chief Minister of the ACT

Mr Shane Rattenbury, MLA, Leader of the ACT Greens

Mr Alistair Coe, MLA, Leader of the Opposition

Any response will be posted here for the reference of members.

13 October 2020

Response from Melissa James, ACT Labor Campaign Director

Link to ACT Labor Policy Position Statement