Two Australias: Labor backs national poverty summit

Sydney
4 November 2001

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Two Australias: Labor backs national poverty summit

By Chris Hook

The Labor Party says that, if elected, it will convene a national summit on poverty within the first six months in office “to respond to the growing divide between Australians”.

In an address to the Australian Council of Social Services, the Shadow Treasurer and Deputy Opposition leader, Simon Crean, said the initiative followed a recommendation in Two Australias: Addressing Inequality and Poverty, a report issued by the St Vincent de Paul Society in May.

The report drew attention to the increasing divide between rich and poor – saying that it had been exacerbated by globalisation – and called on the government to convene a national forum within 12 months of the election to address the issue.

“There is now an enduring challenge before the next Australian government and that is to heal the divide between what St Vincent de Paul recently memorably described as the ‘two Australias’,” Mr Crean said.

Mr Crean said the forum would include representatives from charities, unions, state, territory and local governments as well as community representatives.