SNAICC in the News for the week of 25 March 2024
This week’s SNAICC in the News features Catherine Liddle’s (SNAICC CEO) appearance on ABC’s Q+A program, where she offered a much-needed grounded perspective on Australia’s pressing issues of homeownership, homelessness and housing supply, as well as our lunchtime webinar on Family Matters and Aboriginal-led solutions for reunification and stronger families.
On Monday, March 25, Catherine joined a majority panel of politicians on ABC’s Q+A to talk about the pressing issues of homelessness, homeownership and housing supply in Australia. During the conversation, which was frequently dominated by political jargon and policy debates, Catherine’s emphasis on the experiences of people on the ground served as an important reminder of the significance of refocusing policymaking around real-life circumstances. Catherine’s contributions served as a strong call to action, urging governments to address the human cost of unstable housing and work towards solutions that prioritise the wellbeing and dignity of all Australians.
Additionally, we had Dr Paul Gray (Associate Professor at Jumbunna Institute & Family Matters Leadership Group Co-Chair), Craig Rigney (KWY Aboriginal Corporation CEO) and Darcy Cavanagh (REFOCUS Co-Founder & Director) join us for a lunchtime webinar on Tuesday, March 26th. During the webinar, which was led by Catherine, we looked at KWY and REFOCUS and how they integrate culturally safe wraparound services for our children, families and communities.
For an in-depth look at both of these programs, follow the links below.
Topic: Catherine Liddle on Q+A
Catherine Liddle, CEO of SNAICC, appeared on ABC’s Q+A program this week (Monday, 25 March), where she provided a distinct and much-needed perspective on the pressing issues of homeownership, homelessness and housing supply in Australia, particularly for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
Catherine was joined by a panel of Andrew Leigh (Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities, Treasury & Employment and Federal Member for Fenner in the ACT), Andrew Bragg (Liberal Senator for NSW), Cameron K. Murray (housing commentator and economist), Max Chandler-Mather (Federal MP for Griffith) and Rose Jackson (NSW Minister for Water and Housing & Homelessness), hosted by Patricia Karvelas. Q+A is a program that primarily focuses on politics but covers all of the major issues to get Australians ‘thinking, talking and debating‘.
Among a panel of majority of politicians, Catherine stood out for grounding the discussion, focusing on the lived experiences of communities, redirecting attention from political rhetoric to the tangible realities faced by individuals and families across the country. While the discussions were often focused on political measures and economic theories, Catherine provided an accentuated perspective on the human impact of these issues. She shed light on the harsh realities faced by young people struggling to enter the rental market and the devastating consequences of housing instability on families, particularly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mothers and children.
In a conversation often dominated by political jargon and policy debates, Catherine’s emphasis on the experiences of people on the ground provided a crucial reminder of the importance of centring policymaking around real-life circumstances. By anchoring the discussion on the daily struggles of individuals and families, she highlighted the urgent need for holistic and empathetic approaches to address Australia’s housing challenges. Catherine’s contributions to the Q+A program served as a powerful call to action, urging policymakers and Australian governments to confront the human cost of housing insecurity and work towards solutions that prioritise the wellbeing and dignity of all Australians.
Watch the full Q+A episode using the link below.
Watch the full episode
Topic: Family Matters webinar
On Tuesday, 26 March, we hosted a lunchtime webinar, Family Matters – Aboriginal-led solutions for reunification and stronger families.
During the webinar, we were joined by Dr Paul Gray (Associate Professor at Jumbunna Institute & Family Matters Leadership Group Co-Chair), Craig Rigney (KWY Aboriginal Corporation CEO) and Darcy Cavanagh (REFOCUS Co-Founder & Director). In the conversation, led by Catherine Liddle (SNAICC CEO), we delve deeper into KWY and REFOCUS and how they incorporate culturally safe wraparound services for our children, families and communities.
Family Matters is our annual report that examines what governments are doing to turn the tide on over-representation and the outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. The Family Matters 2023 report shows that child protection systems continue to fail Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, with the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children entering out-of-home care continuing to rise, exposing them to ongoing harm and trauma.