• Salvos impact Poverty Report

The Salvation Army’s Policy and Advocacy team made a major submission to the Senate Community Affairs inquiry into the Extent and Nature of Poverty in Australia in 2023, and the final report was released last week.

The Salvation Army was mentioned 81 times across both the interim and final reports.

Five out of the 14 recommendations that were agreed to by the committee called for reform or review of aspects of the social security system that The Salvation Army had raised as an issue.

The Committee acknowledged the compelling evidence from Jennifer Kirkaldy, Director of the Policy and Advocacy team, for early intervention and place-based initiatives to address child poverty and recommended the Australian Government continue to invest and consider increasing investment.

In the final report, the Senate Community Affairs References Committee acknowledged information or recommendations made by The Salvation Army in relation to at least 16 different subject areas.

To download the Final Report, click here.

Submission highlights

The Army’s submission highlighted the impacts of poverty upon individuals, the community and Australia as a whole.

It delved into shelter, safety, health and overall participation as being the overarching categories of poverty. It also examined the ways in which governmental and social structures systemically disadvantage cohorts.

The Salvation Army submitted that these groups – women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, CALD communities, young people, rural and remote communities and people with disability – are not vulnerable but have been failed.

To read the Senate Inquiry into the Extent and Nature of Poverty in

Australia – Final Report Summary, click here

To download the interim report, click here.

To read the Salvos Online story about the interim report, click here.