2020

The AASW welcomes the measures the Government announced on Sunday, 29 March. The Association is working with members to implement the government’s new measures to respond to mental health concerns during the COVID-19 crisis.

The AASW is working with members and key stakeholders to address the novel coronavirus, COVID-19 pandemic.

Today is World Social Work Day, a day of celebration for the social work profession, held every year on the third Tuesday of March. This year’s theme is Promoting the Importance of Human Relationships, which is set by the International Federation of Social Workers.

The single most important thing we could do to eradicate poverty and family violence would be embrace this year’s International Women’s Day theme “I am Generation Equality: Realising Women’s Rights” and make sure all generations of women, including those to come, have equality with men.

The Commonwealth government must commit to maintaining the Equal Remuneration Order Supplementation funding for the community sector, which was put in place in 2012.

The AASW calls on the government to halt the introduction of its Religious Freedom Bills into Parliament until the Australian Law Reform Commission finishes its inquiry into religious freedom exemptions in existing anti-discrimination legislation.

The AASW welcomes the Bushfire Recovery Access Program that comes into effect today and will see people affected by the bushfires, including first responders, receive vital mental health supports.

The AASW has called on the Queensland Government to broaden the definition of ‘health service provider’ to better restrict the practice of harmful ‘conversion therapy’, a harmful and discredited practice which purports to convert lesbian, gay and bisexual people into heterosexual.

Australia’s bushfires are causing devastation on a scale the world has not seen before.   The AASW pays tribute to those fighting the fires, those individuals and groups assisting on the frontlines, and those assisting with the recovery process.