Reconciliation and Justice for Indigenous Australians

The Single Parent Support Australia resolved to participate in Reconciliation and justice for indigenous Australians and to support activities which form part of the process.

Single Parent Support Australia (Single Parent Support Australia) Inc. is the national peer-based advocacy organisation for lone parents in Australia.  It aims to ensure that children of single mothers have a fair start in life; recognise single mothers and their children as a viable and positive family unit; promote the understanding and acceptance of single mothers and their children by the community; and to work for improvement in the social, economic and legal status of single mothers and their children, particularly when new legislation and services are introduced.

As a national peak agency, Single Parent Support Australia has organisation members in the States and Territories in Australia, ranging from funded state-based agencies such as SPARK Resource Centre in South Australia, and the Council of Single Mothers and their Children in Victoria, through to the unfunded and tireless volunteers running the Sole Parent Union and the Sole Parent Action Network in New South Wales, the Council of Single Mothers and their Children Tasmania, the Single Mother Support Network in Queensland.  Individual membership in states without organisations is being fostered by the work of dedicated Convenors in Western Australia and the Northern Territory.  Associate membership of the Single Parent Support Australia is also available to agencies which run services for single mothers or their children.

Single Parent Support Australia makes submissions on a range of Federal and State policy issues affecting lone parents including child support, social security policy and income support programs, education, labour market programs, child care services, legal services, law reform, Family Court processes, health policy, housing and violence against women and children.

At the State Government level Single Parent Support Australia provides support to state-based organisations and groups, and acts on issues identified by individuals and organisations in states without a state-wide organisation.  The issues raised include access to housing, child protection, adoption and foster care processes, violence against women, poverty relief programs, women�s health services and family support services.

Indigenous communities have a high representation of sole parent families and form an important part of the community which Single Parent Support Australia serves. 

Single Parent Support Australia welcomes the fact that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are organising themselves for economic  social and cultural enhancement and in order to bring an end to all forms of discrimination and oppression whenever they occur.

In committing the organisation to Reconciliation Single Parent Support Australia:

�      Affirms the equality and dignity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

�      Acknowledges the historical and continuing  ownership and custodial relationship to the land of indigenous Australians

�      Celebrates the survival of indigenous Australians

�      Recognises  and is sorry for the violence and dispossession which indigenous Australians have survived

�      Supports processes and activities which further justice for indigenous Australians and Reconciliation between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians: specifically including native title and human rights issues.

�      Recognises in particular the right of indigenous families and communities to retain shared responsibility for the upbringing training education and well-being of their children.

To implement its policy on Reconciliation and Justice for Indigenous Australians, Single Parent Support Australia undertakes to:

1.   Acknowledge and respect indigenous ownership of the land by inviting indigenous representatives to welcome participants to formal events.

2.   Undertake to challenge statements policies and practices which are discriminatory, oppressive or against the interests of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

3.   Acknowledge the spiritual and cultural specificity of indigenous communities through learning and respecting preferred uses of language and custom

4.   Promoting participation in Reconciliation and justice for indigenous Australians amongst members.

5.   Encouraging employment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people by Single Parent Support Australia and members.

6.   Making policy development processes more accessible consultative and inclusive of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people by:

�      Seeking to maximise opportunities for information and participation from indigenous communities on policy issues affecting sole parent families including income support, education, health, child care, law and justice, family support services and  housing.

�      Strengthening links with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander agencies

�      Seeking  participation by indigenous people in governance of the organisation

�      Building our information resources about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities

�      Critically evaluating the organisation�s policy and progress towards Reconciliation and justice for indigenous Australians every two years.                                   21.3.00

Please direct any Web related queries (broken links etc. to  webmistress@[removethis]ncsmc.org.au

Clicking  on the top banner will bring you back to the Homepage