2019

The AASW welcomes the Royal Commission into Victoria's Mental Health System Interim Report and sees the recommendations as a good start but calls on all Australian governments to address the root causes, including poverty, discrimination and inequality.

On this International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, 25 November, the AASW supports this year’s theme and stands with Generation Equality against rape. Violence against women is our national shame, made worse by the disproportional rates of violence against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women in this country.

The theme of Australian Association of Social Work Conference 2019 is Challenging Inequality: Working together for a just society. It will be held in Adelaide for two days from tomorrow afternoon.

The AASW welcomes the interim report on mental health by the Productivity Commission, and its emphasis on schools as places where young people’s mental health concerns can be addressed early and effectively.

Repealing the Medevac laws is tantamount to state-sanctioned torture and is in direct breach of our human rights obligations, said AASW National President Christine Craik.

The theme of Australian Association of Social Work Conference 2019 is Challenging Inequality: Working together for a just society. It will be held in Adelaide on 7-9 November.

The Cashless Debit Card stigmatises and punishes people based on their location and unemployment status, AASW National President Christine Craik said today.

Today is International Allied Health Professionals Day and on this day, the AASW renews its call for mandatory registration of social workers.

Centrelink’s automated debt recovery system is a war on the poor and the vulnerable, AASW National President Christine Craik said yesterday.

On World Mental Health Day, marked annually on 10 October, the AASW calls on all Australian governments take action to address the suicide epidemic we currently have in this country.

“Australian social workers have joined social workers worldwide in declaring a climate emergency,” said AASW National President Christine Craik, who attended the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) Asian-Pacific Social Work Conference in September.

The mandatory drug testing of Newstart recipients, accompanied by a possible reduction in income support payments, is deeply unethical and does not understand the complex nature of addiction, said Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) National President Christine Craik.

During National Homelessness Week, which is 4-10 August this year, Australian social workers are calling for more investment in affordable housing to end homelessness.

On the eve of International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples (IDOWIP), we reflect on the strength and resilience of Indigenous peoples in Australia, and across the world, celebrating what has been achieved while recognising how much more needs to be done.

The Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) welcomes Minister Ken Wyatt’s announcement this week that action will be taken to advance constitutional recognition for Indigenous Australians.

On World Refugee Day, Australian social workers urge the new parliament to fulfil its human rights commitments and give immediate attention to stopping the continued mistreatment and neglect of people seeking asylum and people who have been assessed as refugees, both offshore and onshore.

Stopping elder abuse requires immediate action, said AASW National President Christine Craik on the eve of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, and this starts with adequate resourcing and training the aged care workforce to be able to better identify the dynamics, attitudes and behaviours that lead to elder abuse.

The Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) is pleased to announce that Natasha Stott Despoja AM will be the keynote speaker of the AASW Conference 2019, which will be held in Adelaide from 7-9 November.

On 17 May, the Australian Association of Social Workers recognises the importance of this date and issues raised by IDAHOBIT, as we continue to take a stand against discrimination of the LGBTIQ community.

During National Families Week 2019 (15-21 May), the AASW celebrates families as the central building block of our society. This year’s theme, Stronger Families, Stronger Communities, highlights their protective and nurturing capacity, while also recognising the threats to families from gender-based violence.

The night of nights for social workers in South Australia was held last night at the Beach House in Glenelg, hosted by the AASW’s South Australian Branch.

The AASW has today published its Policy Platform in anticipation of the Federal Election, to be held on Saturday, 18 May.

The projected Budget surplus has been delivered off the backs of Australia’s most vulnerable, according to the Australian Association of Social Workers.

Harmony Week in Australia coincided with important dates this week, including the International Day of the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, World Social Work Day and the aftermath of the devastating terrorist attack in Christchurch.

Accredited Mental Health Social Workers (AMHSWs) provide a vital service to those experiencing mental health disorders according to its new report Accredited Mental Health Social Workers: Qualifications, Skills and Experience.

World Social Work Day is held each year on the third Tuesday of March to celebrate the profession of social work and the role of social workers in the community. This year’s theme is Promoting the Importance of Human Relationships. This year, it is held on 19 March.

The Australian Association of Social Workers South Australian Branch is seeking nominations for the Social Worker of the Year Awards to give individuals and groups who work with the state’s most vulnerable populations a chance to shine.

The 2019 theme of International Women’s Day is #BalanceforBetter, with the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) calling for action on gender inequality.

As the Victorian Branch of the Australian Association of Social Workers took to the streets on Sunday to support LGBTIQ Victorians at the Midsumma Pride March, the Association welcomed the Victorian Government’s announcement that it plans to outlaw ‘conversion therapy’.