COMPULSORY INCOME MANAGEMENT IN BANKSTOWN

 Forum on what is planned and how the campaign is responding

 Thursday April 11

10:30am – 12:30pm

Bankstown Arts Centre

5 Olympic Parade, Bankstown

 Speakers include:

 * John Dowd AO QC, Community Restorative Centre (Advisory Panel), International Committee of Jurists (Chairperson of Executive Committee)

* Eamon Waterford, Youth Action and Policy Association NSW Inc (YAPA)

* Public Service Association (PSA NSW) Child Protection delegate

* NT youth speaker discussing impact of income management on Aboriginal communities (TBA)

Income management was first imposed with the NT Intervention in 2007 that suspended the Racial Discrimination Act. The system continues to violate basic human rights.

In 2011, Bankstown was announced as one of five “trial sites” around Australia for an expansion of income management, at a cost of $117 million. But there has been strong opposition from a community and union campaign demanding redirection of resources to social services and jobs. Only very small numbers of people have been placed on Income Management in Bankstown.

Child Protection workers represented by the Public Sector Association (PSA NSW) have placed an official ban on the implementation of income management. For the most part, Centrelink social workers are also not forcing income management on unwilling people. 

The government wants to find ways to get more people on the system.

Minister Jenny Macklin has announced that from July 2013 income management in the “trial sites” will be compulsorily applied for 12 months to people under 25 who are recipients of:

– The Crisis Payment for Released Prisoners.

– Unable to Live at Home Allowance

This will happen automatically with receipt of these payments, removing the discretion of child protection and Centrelink social workers.

This will further stigmatize youth at risk and could exacerbate their hardship. Please join us to hear responses from a number of important perspectives working with youth and in the criminal justice system and discuss the next steps in this campaign.

What impact does income management have on youth at risk?

What programs are really needed to help vulnerable people?

How can the campaign build on our successes and advocate for an alternative to income management in the lead up to the July roll out?

Forum organised by Say No to Government Income Management: Not in Bankstown, Not Anywhere Campaign Coalition 

Contact: 

 Randa Kattan– 0433 144 858, Paddy Gibson – 041 580 0586, Pam Batkin  – 0417 230 580

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