Ref:4/2002

6 February, 2002 

Mission Calls for Bi-Focal Vision

With the State election now only 4 days away, Adelaide Central Mission is calling on all parties to clearly answer 2 questions:

1. How will the parties ensure that all South Australians have their basic needs met?

2. How will the parties work to ensure that opportunities are improved for all citizens to fully participate in South Australian society?

Adelaide Central Mission assisted over 50,000 people over the last 12 months, including 13,015 people who made crisis calls to Lifeline and 8,700 people who sought assistance to break the poverty cycle.  Listening to these people has lead to the following being identified as basic need areas that need urgent consideration by the new government:

• Increased public and community owned houses for low income households
• Cap on the rate of utility price rises for low income people
• Commitment to implement the State Domestic Violence action plan, developed in 2001
• Reducing the level of gambling

“We also recognise the requirement of a new government to balance meeting immediate need with longer term community strengthening activities” said Rev Dr Geoff Scott, Minister of the Mission, “We need parties with bi-focal vision, able to respond to the immediate, up close needs of the community and able to lift the eyes and plan for the longer term as well.”

  Longer term planning from the parties must focus on creating opportunities for all South Australians, specifically:

• Commitment to an innovation strategy that will generate new industries and new jobs.
• Additional support to help strengthen interpersonal relationships
• Creation of a Social enterprise Fund to support local community solutions to local community problems.

  “We still have heard very little from the parties about their plans to assist low income and disadvantaged South Australians, and strategies to create opportunities.  The parties must let the community know their intentions on these two crucial questions, before Saturday” Rev Scott concluded.

 

For Further Comment
Mark Henley Senior Policy Officer	8202 5135 (w) 0404 067 011 (mob)