Canberra Summit to Highlight Impact of Economic Crisis on Social Services

Major church providers will take their concerns regarding the impact of the global financial crisis to political leaders at a national summit at Parliament House in Canberra on Wednesday 26 November.

The group has commissioned Access Economics to identify likely impacts in a discussion paper - The impact of the financial crisis on social services- which will be presented at the summit.

Key members of the Government have been invited to address the summit, to comment on the discussion paper and to participate in the development of recommendations.

These include: the Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, the Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Treasurer Wayne Swan, Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs Jenny Macklin, Finance Minister Lindsay Tanner, and Minister for Workforce Participation Brendan O'Connor.

Thirty leaders, agency directors and CEOs from the four major church provider networks, and other national leaders have also been invited, and will be asked to develop recommendations to the Government to deal with the impact of the crisis on Australia's most disadvantaged people.

Media are invited to attend.

A joint media conference will be launched at 10.55am in Committee Room 1R1 at Parliament House in Canberra following the launch of the paper and again at the Federal Parliamentary Press Gallery boxes at 3.30pm, where the group is expected to release a comprehensive list of recommendations.

Spokespeople from the four major church providers include:

Anglicare Australia Kasy Chambers, Executive Director
Catholic Social Services Australia Frank Quinlan, Executive Director
Salvation Army David Eldridge, Territorial Social Programme Secretary, Australia Southern Territory
UnitingCare Australia Lin Hatfield-Dodds, National Director

LAUNCH
Date: Wednesday 26 November 200
Venue: Committee Room 1R1
Parliament House Canberra
Time: 10.15am

MEDIA CONFERENCE
Date: Wednesday 26 November 2008
Venue: Committee Room 1R1
Parliament House Canberra
Time: 10.55am

FOLLOW-UP MEDIA CONFERENCE
Date: Wednesday 26 November 2008
Venue: Press Boxes
Parliament House Canberra
Time: 3.30pm

20 November 2008

Contact: Judith Tokley 0408 824 306 / 02 6285 1366