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Improving the resilience of Australia's rural communities
In light of a government decision to not renew funding for community mental health and family and relationship counselling services programme in drought affected communities, CSSA has developed a Rural Community Resilience Programme. This programme, drawing on the success of the earlier model, enables counsellors to go into rural and remote communities and extend mental health, family and relationship support to people in their homes, on their stations, and at community events.

The Churches, The Budget and the Long Poll - discussion on ABC Sunday Nights
Only five days after the Federal Budget we are at the beginning of one of the longest election campaigns in Australian history. CSSA CEO, Marcelle Mogg, featured on ABC's Sunday Nights program looking at the Federal Budget, particularly as it affects agencies linked to church and welfare services.

TAX CUTS TO THE RICH AND SERVICE CUTS TO THE REST
Vulnerable Australians have again been overlooked in this third Federal Budget from the Coalition Government. The 2016-17 Budget provides tax cuts to the rich and service cuts to the rest. This Budget has given tax relief to those earning over $80K. This measure will cost $4 billion which could have been spent on investment in families and communities.

WHAT AUSTRALIA’S COMMUNITY SECTOR WANTS AND DOESN’T WANT IN THE FEDERAL BUDGET
Community sector organisations, including CSSA, today issued a united call for this year’s Federal Budget to put reducing poverty and inequality at the heart of its purpose. This should be done by prioritising revenue raising measures to fund essential services and jobs growth, rather than by focusing narrowly on cuts to spending and unaffordable tax cuts in an election year.

2016 FEDERAL BUDGET MUST ADOPT EQUITY AS ITS CHIEF GUIDING PRINCIPLE
Catholic Social Services Australia has urged the Australian Government to use equity as its chief guiding principle as it develops the 2016-17 Federal Budget. Marcelle Mogg, CEO of Catholic Social Services Australia, has called on the Australian Government to invest in communities, families and individuals in order to strengthen social cohesion, participation and wellbeing. “In its last two Budgets this Government has made $1billion in cuts to vital community services, resulting in greater hardship for the most vulnerable people” Ms Mogg said. “If the Government thinks we need any future expenditure cuts they should be directed at those sectors of society that have the means and the opportunity to support themselves.

CSSA 2016-17 Pre-Budget Submission
CSSA has released it's recommendations for the 2016-17 Commonwealth Government Budget. CSSA urges the Government to adopt equity as its chief guiding principle, in order to ensure vulnerable families and individuals are not unfairly disadvantaged by expenditure cuts.