2021 WA State Election

The Western Australia State Election is being held on 13 March 2021 and this is a pivotal opportunity for a government to create conditions under which people will pursue healthy, meaningful and rewarding lives.

The WA Branch has developed its WA Election policy document (or position statement)  outlining seven key areas of concern to social workers in the lead up to the Western Australian State Election.

These broad areas are:

• Social Work Registration
• Child Protection, Family Services and Aboriginal Children in Care
• Family and Domestic Violence (FDV)
• Mental Health and Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD)
• Homelessness and housing affordability
• Sustainability and Climate Change
• Closing the Gap and Reconciliation

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

Download or View the Western Australia Election Statement 2021

What have we done in the lead up to the election?

We have sent letters based on our Summits and position statement to the following key party leaders and representatives:

• Letter to Hon Mark McGowan, Premier and Leader of WA Labor
• Letter to Mr Zak Kirkup, Leader of the Opposition
• Letter to Hon Mia Davies, Leader of National Party of WA
• Letter to The Greens (WA)
• Letter to Hon. Colin Tincknell MLC, One Nation Party

Any responses can be seen on the WA Social Policy page.

As social workers, one of the vital measures of the success of any government is the social impact of their policies, so 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 Liberal Western Australia, WA Labor, and National Party of WA
• 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 Western Australia 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.

Thanks for your support and, as a Branch, we look forward to working closely with our members to become an active voice in the social policy space moving forward.

Yours Sincerely,
AASW WA Branch Management Committee

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Meet our new Branch Management Committee here. We do have 2 x 12 month casual vacancies still available. If you would be interested in filling one of these positions please contact Robyn aasw.wa@aasw.asn.au