Policies

Families Australia is committed to the development of broadly-based and relevant policy given:

  • the diversity of family forms in Australia today
  • the significance of extended families to the health and wellbeing of families
  • the complexities of the current split of responsibilities between Australian and State and Territory Governments.

The focus of Families Australia is on developing and contributing to public policy which impacts on families, young people and children nationally.

100 Policy Ideas for Enhancing Family Wellbeing

The following policy statements, released on 24 August 2007 in the context of the run-up to the 2007 Federal election, contain summaries of major challenges, together with our policies and recommended key action priorities. Each statement has been devised on the basis of extensive consultation with a large number of individuals, families and Families Australia member organisations, including in most cases through focus groups, expert forums and conferences.

Below is a snapshot of ten of the most important priorities for action across these policy areas:

  • A National Family Wellbeing Framework should set high-level national targets. It should highlight the most important things that foster family wellbeing, such as quality relationships, health and safety, community connection and economic wellbeing.
  • A 5-10 year National Family Wellbeing Action Strategy, based on the Framework, should be agreed between Federal and State/Territory governments and should clearly elaborate roles, aims and targets. A ‘National State of the Family Report’ should be prepared triennially to report on progress in meeting Framework and Strategy goals.
  • A National Child Protection Strategy should be developed and adopted by Australian, State and Territory governments, based on the work of the 2006 National Child Protection Forum.
  • An Australian Government Minister for Children and Young People and an independent Federal Commissioner for Children should be appointed.
  • Spending on the health of Indigenous people should be increased, beginning with an increase of 1% in the Federal Indigenous health budget.
  • There should be universal access to family friendly work conditions, including access to paid maternity/parental leave, access to unpaid leave and access to paid leave for a non-child bearing partner.
  • A national grandparenting information service (such as a 24-hour telephone line and/or a website) should be established to make information about financial assistance and legal matters more accessible to grandparents.
  • Governments through the Council of Australian Governments should enhance the overall coherence and connectivity between strategies dealing with co-occurring issues such as mental health, substance abuse and child abuse and neglect; they should also recognise the need for long-term program interventions through multi-year (longer than three year) funding cycles.
  • In relation to substance abuse, additional resources should be devoted to public education and media campaigns which are mutually reinforcing, evidence-based and comprehensive.
  • A commitment should be made by all governments and past providers of institutional care to provide ongoing assistance to organisations supporting Forgotten Australians, including seed funding for new organisations forming in States or Territories where no group currently operates.

Read our policy statements on:

Family Wellbeing

In Australia and overseas, there is growing public, government and academic interest in the concept and measurement of national and personal wellbeing, but there is at yet no widely accepted framework which focuses specifically on family and takes a comprehensive approach which can guide research, policy development, resource allocation and evaluation. read more

Work and Family

Families Australia believes that the issue of work and family is one of great importance to the wellbeing of the Australian community and the country's economic and social sustainability read more. In May 2006, Families Australia co-hosted the 2nd National Work, Families and Wellbeing Forum at the Australian National University. read the report and presentations

Child Protection

Families Australia's aim is to seek the development and adoption of a national strategy for child protection. Families Australia played a significant role in the National Child Protection Forum in June 2006 (including as Forum Convenor) and chaired the subsequent government, research and non-government organisations working party to draft the National Child Protection Strategy. read more

Grandparenting

Families Australia's consultations in 2006 and 2007 found that many grandparents, especially those with primary caring responsibilities for grandchildren, would benefit from additional financial, social and emotional support, and from better targeted information about how to get help. Families Australia makes 29 recommendations to better support grandparents. read the report and presentations

Major Submissions

Families Australia has made the following submissions: