Fridge Magnet conveys call to Parliament for action on poverty

Australia’s largest fridge magnet will be delivered to Parliament House, Canberra on Wednesday 5 November conveying a call for Parliament to adopt a strategy to reduce poverty in Australia.

Opposition Spokesperson on Family and Community Services Wayne Swan MP and Independent Tony Windsor have agreed to receive the magnets. The Minister for Family and Community Services, Senator Key Patterson has also been invited to receive one of the three magnets.

Signatories to the message include Anglican Archbishop of Sydney, Dr Peter Jensen, Director of the Melbourne Institute Professor Peter Dawkins and former AFL footballer Jim Stynes. Signatures were collected during Anti-poverty Week in Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra.

“The message on the magnet is ‘Urgent!! For Parliament Must adopt strategy to reduce poverty, especially for kids (in all States and Territories)’” said Lin Hatfield Dodds, National Director of UnitingCare Australia.

The presentation will be at the Ministerial Door to Parliament House at 8.30am on Wednesday 5 November. Representatives from Anglicare Australia, UnitingCare Australia, Catholic Welfare Australia and other community service agencies will present the magnets.

“We are delivering a critical message to the Parliament about the safety and security of 2.4 million Australians who live in poverty. What better way to deliver this message than on a fridge magnet; the same means the Government chose to deliver a message about safety and security to the Australia people, said Russell Rollason, Executive Officer of Anglicare Australia.

After a decade of record economic growth, the free market in Australia has failed the 2.4 million Australians who live below the poverty line. We need a national strategy to reduce poverty and we are calling on the Government and Opposition parties to adopt such a strategy.,’ said Toby O’Connor, National Director of Catholic Welfare Australia.

Contact: Russell Rollason, Anglicare Australia 0418 149 203

Lin Hatfield Dodds, UnitingCare Australia 0408 402 222

Toby O’Connor, Catholic Welfare Australia 0419 417 563