Media Releases
Support for essential community services
Minister Rishworth discusses how the Albanese Labor Government is providing increased financial support to help maintain a strong community services sector with fair wages and reduced cost of living pressures.
Disability Ministers from around Australia set priorities for the year ahead
Disability Ministers came together in Canberra last Friday to set collective priorities for the year ahead, focused on improving the lives of people with disability.
Boosting support for volunteers through a National Strategy for Volunteering
Minister Rishworth discusses boosting support for volunteers through a National Strategy for Volunteering.
Enhanced Income Management to provide financial choice
The Albanese Labor Government is continuing to deliver on its commitment to reform Income Management through the introduction of the new SmartCard.
180,000 Australian families to benefit from improvements to Paid Parental Leave
Minister Rishworth discusses the benefits of improvements to Paid Parental Leave.
Community Services Ministers meeting communique
Minister Rishworth met with fellow Commonwealth, state and territory Community Services Ministers in-person at Parliament House, Canberra on 31 January 2023.
Opportunity for Australians to help shape the Early Years Strategy
The Albanese Labor Government is delivering on its commitment to develop an Early Years Strategy with public consultation now underway ahead of the major Early Years Summit to be held later this month.
Progressing a National Autism Strategy and Research Centre
The Albanese Labor Government will continue its commitment to leaving no one behind and holding no one back by progressing a National Autism Strategy and committing further funds to the Autism Cooperative Research Centre (CRC).
Making sure children in Australia are safe and supported
The Albanese Government will today progress its commitment to Australia’s children by launching the first Action Plans under Safe and Supported: The National Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children (2021-2031).
Government supports future young leaders with a new program delivered by Children and Young People with Disability
The Minister for Social Services, Amanda Rishworth, today awarded funding of $797,587 to Children and Young People with Disability Australia (CYDA) to deliver a new disability youth leadership program.
Albanese Government convenes National Roundtable for Online Dating Safety
Minister for Communications, the Hon Michelle Rowland MP and Minister for Social Services, the Hon Amanda Rishworth MP will convene the National Roundtable on Online Dating Safety in Sydney today.
Australia signs new social security agreement with Serbia
Australia and the Republic of Serbia have signed a new social security agreement that will improve access to retirement benefits for eligible people who have moved between the two countries.
Government inks agreement for innovative disability employment pilot
The Albanese Labor Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Business Council of Australia (BCA) to create and implement a new disability employment pilot.
Have your say on quality in Disability Employment Services
Placing people living with disability at the centre of the services they receive is a key pillar of a discussion paper on the proposed Disability Employment Services Quality Framework, released today for public consultation.
Emergency Relief funding boost for NSW, Victoria and Tasmania
The Albanese Labor Government will provide more than $10 million in additional funding to Emergency and Food Relief providers in response to recent flood events and cost of living pressures.
Members appointed to Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee
The Albanese Labor Government’s new Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee will meet this week to begin its important work in helping to address disadvantage and boost economic participation.
Improving the lives of Australians living with disability through research
The Albanese Labor Government is committed to improving the lives of Australians living with disability through research by today releasing two key projects that will help drive evidence-based policy reform.
National Centre to explore innovative community-led solutions to address disadvantage
The Albanese Labor Government will establish a National Centre for Place-Based Collaboration to explore and enhance community-led solutions in addressing social complex problems and entrenched disadvantage.
Investigation into Star Ratings for the Disability Employment Services program
Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth has today announced an investigation into the Disability Employment Services Star Ratings following a coding error impacting the application of the system.
Indexation to benefit young Australians
Around one million young people, carers and students are set to receive a boost to their social security payments when indexation increases take effect on 1 January 2023.