Dear Friends,

As we reflect on the remarkable 70th Anniversary Summit and Gala Dinner held in Canberra earlier this month, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone who joined us for this truly memorable occasion. The event was a tremendous success, bringing together members from across the country in a spirit of collaboration, celebration, and renewed commitment to our shared mission.

There were so many highlights throughout the two days, which you will find detailed below, but I would particularly like to draw your attention to the inspiring McCosker Oration delivered by former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. Malcolm spoke with eloquence and genuine conviction about the power of love in our society, offering a thought-provoking and timely message.

One line that resonated deeply was his quotation of Carlo Martini, Cardinal Archbishop of Milan:

“The beauty that will save the world is the love that will share the pain.”

This profound reflection captures the heart of our work and the Gospel values that guide us.

I also want to warmly congratulate Professor Maria Harries on receiving the CSSA Lifetime Contribution Award. This recognition was richly deserved and warmly received by all present. For more on Maria’s outstanding contributions, please visit our social media pages.

Building on a growing tradition, the presentation of the Bishop’s Social Justice Statement to the Parliament by the Hon Milton Dick MP, Speaker of the House of Representatives, remains a powerful moment in our calendar. The Statement offers a timely and vital contribution to social cohesion in Australia. I was honoured to attend its launch in the Archdiocese of Brisbane, where I had the privilege of leading the Social Justice Prayer, beautifully composed by Bishop Tim Harris of Townsville, Chair of the Bishops Commission for Social Justice, Service and Mission. My sincere thanks to Archbishop Shane Mackinlay for his warm hospitality in hosting this important event.

I also want to acknowledge Stuart Rodney for inviting me to the Brisbane Catholic Professionals Lunch – Leading with Purpose. It was a fantastic gathering that showcased the dedication and commitment of Catholic professionals in Brisbane.

There is much important work underway, as you will see in the sections below.

Thank you all for your ongoing contributions to our mission, research, policy analysis, and advocacy. Together, we truly are building for the common good.

Finally, I want to acknowledge my extraordinary team for not only planning and executing such an extraordinary event, but for the incredible work they do day in and day out. As I said at the close of our summit, Carmel, Katie, Neha, Tania, and Aiden are remarkable people who do remarkable work – and I love them dearly.

Catholic Social Services Australia's Strategic Placemat provides a concise overview of the organisation's purpose, direction and priorities. It brings together our Vision, Mission, Gospel Theme, Values and Strategic Impact Priorities for 2026–2031, demonstrating how our work is grounded in Catholic Social Teaching and guided by the Gospel call to serve "the least of these" (Matthew 25:40).

The placemat outlines our commitment to empowering Catholic social service providers, strengthening collaboration, and advocating for policies that uphold the dignity and wellbeing of vulnerable Australians. The Placemat highlights the key areas where we will focus our efforts over the next five years, including Closing the Gap, housing and homelessness, family support and domestic violence, and disability and dignity, ensuring our work continues to build stronger, more compassionate and inclusive communities.

CSSA Parliamentary Advocacy Summit 2026

Thank you to all members who took the time participate in CSSA’s Parliamentary Advocacy Summit on 13 August 2026. The Program included presentations from 12 parliamentarians with responsibilities across social policy, social services and social cohesion, multicultural affairs and human rights. The day was topped off by a presentation from the Minister for Social Services, the Hon. Tanya Plibersek MP who spoke of ‘loving those lives that are most fragile’ and reasons for hope in communities, and for families, women and children under the development of the Second Action Plan of the National Plan to End Violence for Women and Children 2022-32. 

A special thanks to our members for their presentations, including Fabio Forgione, Operations Manager at the House of Welcome (St Francis Social Services) for his presentation on pathways to social inclusion through the House of Welcome’s work with people seeking asylum and refugees. Panels displaying the stories of those involved with the House of Welcome’s successes over the past 25 years were also on display and we thank the House of Welcome team for making these stories available for the Summit.

We also thank Melissa McSeventy, Evidence, Impact and Research Manager from CatholicCare Sydney for presenting on our Day 1 Program on ‘From Mission to Impact: Using practice governance to ensure our services make a difference’. Mel’s presentation reminded us that practice governance is not separate from mission – it is the enhancement and stewardship of mission.

We also extend our thanks to Anthea Hancocks, CEO of the Scanlon Foundation Research Institute (SFRI) for sharing her presentations slides on ‘Mapping Social Cohesion 2025’. The slides are available here and the full report is available on the SFRI website here.

If your organisation is interested in attending SFRI’s Australian Social Cohesion Summit on 5-6 November 2026, please visit the link below:

https://scanloninstitute.org.au/events/australian-social-cohesion-summit-2026/

Latest DSS Community Sector Advisory Group (CSAG) update

Please also refer to CSSA CSAG Member Update Release 4.0 – 1 September 2026 for a detailed update  

CSSA continues to represent members on CSAG Working Groups (informal) and at (formal) quarterly CSAG meetings. The last CSAG Working Group meeting was held on 25 August 2026 with updates on: 

• CSSA / UWA Achieving Real Value for Money in Community Services: An Engagement Program for Mutual Benefit. CSSA presented to participating CSAG members on its Program of Work (PoW), an invitation to work with Government to build reform momentum to promote real value for money through a shared costing and pricing language, instructing on sustainable costing and pricing and socialising these practices. A copy of the PoW is available here. CSSA and UWA will present on the PoW at the next CSAG meeting. 

• Outcomes Contracting Update (formally ‘Relational Contracting’). Following its consultation process, DSS will take final draft Outcomes Contracting documentation back to the next CSAG meeting before entering its Test & Refine phase. DSS is seeking Early Adopter organisations to simulate each part of the Outcomes Contracting operational elements. Please contact [email protected] for interest.

• CaFS feedback and data timing. DSS has engaged with service providers eligible for recommissioning under the new CaFS program with final Grant Opportunity Guidelines to be released via GrantConnect in September 2026 and open for approx. 6 weeks. Three proposed service streams will become two – national services; or early intervention and supports. A second grant opportunity will be available to ACCOs later in 2026.

• DSS is keen to receive feedback through Funding Agreement Managers and [email protected] where Provider Preview information circulated recently is incorrect. Similarly, DSS is keen for feedback on the limitations or inaccuracies of the Community Needs Mapping Tool.

  DSS will post updated QandAs to provide further guidance in addition to the GoGs and broader CaFS reform.

• DSS Third Party AI Policy – DSS is seeking feedback on its Third Party AI Policy until 8 September 2026. DSS requests limited distribution to subject matter experts within member organisations. If interested, please contact [email protected] for a copy of the Policy. 

  The next quarterly CSAG meeting is scheduled for 22 September 2026. 

  Monthly Working Groups will continue to the end of 2026. 

  For further detail on CSAG please contact CSSA Director of Policy and Advocacy [email protected]. 

Submissions, Consultations and Campaigns

Recent CSSA submissions include: 

• Relational Contracting (Outcomes Contracting) 

• DSS Second Action Plan (National Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children 2022-2032) 

• ‘Breaking the Crisis Cycle’ campaign (Homelessness Australia). CSSA is proud to be supporting Homelessness Australia’s ‘Breaking the Crisis Cycle’ campaign which calls on state and federal ministers to invest in a National Mental Health Homelessness Prevention Program, including: 

• • 20,000 additional supportive housing places using Housing First principles 

• • A national tenancy sustainment program for people with psychosocial disability. 

CSSA attended Homelessness Australia and Mental Health Australia’s joint campaign launch with the Parliamentary Friends of Housing and Mental Health on 20 August 2026, which included a presentation from the Federal Member for Housing and Homelessness, the Hon. Clare O'Neil MP. See here for details. 

The campaign closely aligns with key actions in the 2025-26 ACBC Social Justice Statement: ‘Signs of Hope on the Edge: Serving People Living in Homelessness and Mental Ill-Health’ including developing a national strategy to prevent people living with mental ill-health from becoming homeless after leaving hospitals, mental health facilities, and prisons and detention centres. 

Research Projects

State of the Sector Survey - Mapping the National Footprint of Catholic Social Services 

• In late June 2026, CSSA released its ‘State of the Sector – Mapping the National Footprint of Catholic Social Services’ Survey. The Survey will ensure that the voice and impact of Catholic social services are clearly represented at a national level. Early insights reveal that: 

• • 89% of respondents report that report demand for their services has risen over the past 5 years 

• • 11% of respondents report that government funding fully covers the cost of service delivery 

• • 47% of respondents find rate recruiting qualified staff “very” or “extremely” challenging. 

• The Survey continues to gather comprehensive insights into the realities, challenges, and contributions of Catholic social services across the nation.  

• If you have not already completed the Survey, please go to CSSA’s Survey page here. 

Tracking Key Issues and Opportunities

CSSA is tracking the following priority areas:

• Senate Inquiry on Social Housing – Submissions due 24 September 2026.

• Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion – The Royal Commission has requested until 18 December 2026 to release its final report. 

• Australia’s Youth Justice and Incarceration System – The final report date has been extended until 10 September 2026. 

• Inquiry into racism, hate and violence directed at Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people – the Committee is due to report on 15 September 2026. 

• National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Act 2026. Federal Parliament passed the legislation on 19 August 2026. 

• Australia’s Offshore processing and resettlement arrangements – Review of the final Report released on 2 July 2026. 

• Implications for the social services sector following the Fair Work Commission’s (FWC) decision on 2 June 2026 to raise award wages by 4.75% and the national minimum wage by 6%. 

• Implications for the social services sector following the FWC’s Gender-Based Undervaluation Priority Review: Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services (SCHADS) Award – Decision on 1 June 2026, including support to transition to the new system. 

• Recommendations arising from the final report released in March 2026 on the Senate Inquiry on the Quality and safety of Australia's early childhood education and care system. 

• State of Australia's early childhood education and care system in rural, regional and remote communities – Submissions close on 29 September 2026. 
• Productivity Commission Housing Supply Housing Regulation. Review of Interim Report, released on 27 July 2026.

What are other consultations, inquiries or issues that are important to your work that CSSA should be tracking? Please contact [email protected] for your suggestions. 

Living the Gospel in Times of Social Division - Launch Event

Catholic Social Services Australia was pleased to join the launch of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference’s 2026 Social Justice Statement, Living the Gospel in Times of Social Division. The Statement calls us to respond to division with compassion, respectful dialogue and solidarity, grounded in the Gospel call to love our neighbour and uphold the dignity of every person. As we reflect on its message, we are reminded of our shared responsibility to build a more welcoming and compassionate Australia where everyone is valued and belongs.

‘Breaking the Crisis Cycle’ campaign delegation members with the Federal Member for Solomon, NT, Luke Gosling OAM MP

Breaking the Crisis Cycle

CSSA was pleased to join Homelessness Australia’s Breaking the Crisis Cycle event on 20 August 2026 at Parliament House, bringing together voices from across the housing, homelessness and mental health sectors. The event highlighted the urgent need for practical, long-term solutions that help people with complex needs find a safe and secure home, remain housed and rebuild their lives with the right support. A powerful reminder that secure housing, dignity and support must go hand in hand. CSSA thanks Member for Solomon, NT Luke Gosling OAM MP and Member for Canberra, Alicia Payne MP for their time and the opportunity to discuss the campaign. Read more about it here.

CSSA’s Melbourne Member Visits

National Press Club Address – ‘Reasonable or Necessary? Debating Changes to the NDIS’

CSSA was pleased to attend in the National Press Club panel address on 10 August 2026 -  ‘Reasonable or Necessary? Debating Changes to the NDIS’ featuring Acting CEO of People with Disability Australia - Megan Spindler-Smith, Chief Executive, Women with Disabilities Australia - Sophie Cusworth and Chief Executive of ARUMA, Dr Martin Laverty.  

The panel discussed the NDIS Amendment Bill (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) 2026 aimed at reining in NDIS costs of $50 billion in 2025 and rising projected expenditure. Disability advocates argued that expenditure control was being pursued through mechanisms that could restrict participants' access to supports rather than addressing system deficiencies and called for a gender impact analysis to identify how caring support would be disproportionately affected women. Dr Laverty acknowledged the necessity of reforms to address cost blowouts but explained governance issues that could undermine the reforms. 

CSSA's next Communities of Practice (COP) session will focus on Thriving Kids, providing an opportunity for members to come together, share insights and explore what the initiative could mean for children, families and the services that support them.

The session will create space for an open and practical conversation about the emerging Thriving Kids reforms, including the opportunities, challenges and implications for organisations working alongside children and families.

We warmly encourage members with an interest in Thriving Kids, early intervention, disability and family support to join the conversation and contribute their knowledge and experience.

More information, including session details and registration, will be shared shortly and registrations for the September CoP will open closer to the event, but if you have any questions, please email [email protected].

The team would like to thank all our members who attended the CSSA 70th Anniversary and Advocacy Summit in Canberra over the 12th and 13th August. We appreciate what an effort it requires to take such time out of your calendars, and for many of our members, travel quite a distance. It was amazing to have representation from across the country and our event highlighted what a collaborative, supportive and incredibly professional network we have.

CSSA celebrated 70 years of service as the national peak body for Catholic Social Services, and it is our members who we celebrate as the core of our mission. Thank you for your participation, engagement and humour across what was a memorable and impactful gathering!

We’re delighted to share some of the wonderful moments captured throughout the Summit and our 70th Anniversary celebrations. View all the photos and look back on two memorable days together here.

2026 Parliamentary Advocacy Summit - View here

70th Anniversary celebrations - View here

Photo credit: Paul Chapman Mode Imagery 

CatholicCare Victoria marked Homelessness Week with a range of events including: the 50^th Anniversary of Peplow House, Ballarat, see: Peplow House Celebrates 50 Years of Supporting Men Through Homelessness  - CatholicCare Victoria. Also as part of Homelessness Week, CatholicCare Victoria's Homes First Program proudly hosted the inaugural Homelessness Action Now Art Exhibition at Dudley House in Bendigo see: Homelessness Action Now Art Exhibition Brings Lived Experience Stories to Bendigo  - CatholicCare Victoria.

Pope sends message to Catholic Social Services Australia

Pope Leo XIV has sent a message to Catholic Social Services Australia, marking the organisation’s 70th anniversary.

This acknowledgment from the Pope underscores CSSA’s enduring witness to the Gospel and its vital contribution to Australian society over seven decades.

Central to the Pope’s message is the Gospel passage from Matthew 25:40: “As you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.” This scripture lies at the heart of CSSA’s mission.

CSSA chief executive Jerry Nockles, said, “It is CSSA’s Gospel theme that calls, guides, and encourages our work every day. Receiving this message from Pope Leo XIV is a momentous honour and a significant recognition of the work our community does.”

Read the entire media release here.

Love on Turnbull’s mind at McCosker Oration

Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull spoke of the “Politics of Love” as he delivered the McCosker Oration at Catholic Social Services Australia’s 70th Anniversary Gala Dinner on Wednesday. Source: ACBC Media Blog.

“We don’t speak about love enough anywhere, and certainly not in this place,” Mr Turnbull said, referring to Parliament House in Canberra where the dinner was held.

The McCosker Oration pays tribute to the legacy of Monsignor James Francis (Frank) McCosker, whose commitment to social justice and the common good continues to inspire CSSA’s work across Australia.

Mr Turnbull began his oration by referring to the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference’s latest Social Justice Statement on Living the Gospel in Times of Social Division, which was released on 7 August 2026.

Photo credit: Paul Chapman Mode Imagery 

Read the entire media release here.

CSSA welcomes funding boost for domestic violence response

Catholic Social Services Australia says the Albanese government’s major funding boost to the Northern Territory’s domestic, family and sexual violence response is a vital step in addressing critical challenges faced by communities in the Territory.

CSSA’s chief executive Jerry Nockles commended the government’s commitment on Friday to invest $17 million to strengthen frontline services, prevent violence, and save lives in the Northern Territory.

“We are inspired by the words of Pope Leo XIV in his recent encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, where he calls us to ‘get our hands dirty in the construction zone of our time’,” Dr Nockles said.

Image credit – Getty Images Pro

Read the entire media release here.

Professor ‘embodies the very heart of Catholic social service’

Maria Harries is the inaugural recipient of the Catholic Social Services Australia Lifetime Contribution Award.

Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull presented the award to Professor Harries at CSSA’s 70th Anniversary Gala Dinner at Parliament House, Canberra, on August 12.

This new annual award recognises outstanding and sustained contributions to the mission of Catholic social services in Australia.

Professor Harries’ remarkable career, spanning over four decades, has been marked by dedicated leadership in social work, child protection, governance, and the not-for-profit sector, particularly within Catholic social services.

Professor Harries has been a tireless advocate for embedding Catholic Social Teaching into professional practice and governance, championing the dignity of vulnerable Australians and strengthening the sector’s commitment to compassionate service.

Photo credit: Paul Chapman Mode Imagery 

Read the entire media release here.

‘Country at a crossroads’: Bishops call for compassion amid social division

Bishop Tim Harris has urged Australians to rediscover respect, compassion and the dignity of every person as the nation confronts growing social division.

The Bishop of Townsville and Chair of the Bishops’ Commission for Social Justice, Mission and Service was in Canberra with Melbourne Auxiliary Bishop Martin Ashe for Catholic Social Services Australia’s 70th anniversary and ahead of the presentation of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference Social Justice Statement, Living the Gospel in Times of Social Division, to Federal Parliament.

Joined by Archbishop Christopher Prowse, the bishops reflected on the statement’s call for Australians to respond to polarisation through dialogue, encounter and practical compassion.

Read the entire media release here.

SAVE THE DATE

1) CSSA August Community of Practice - Thriving Kids

Date: 16th September 2026 (1 - 2 pm)

2) CSSA Agency Heads 

Date: 30th October 2026 

3) Upcoming CSSA member engagement:

• October 2026 - Queensland: Cairns, Townsville and Rockhampton Dioceses
• November 2026 - Northern Territory: Darwin Diocese
• December 2026 – Central New South Wales: Bathurst and Armidale Dioceses

1) Director, Evangelisation and Religious Education (NSW)

Catholic Education Diocese of Wagga Wagga (CEDWW)

Application close date: 6 September 2026

Apply now

2) Health & Wellbeing Support Officer

Presentation Sisters Wagga Wagga (NSW)

Application close date: 9 September 2026

Apply now

3) Board Directors (Voluntary) (NSW)

Mount St Benedict College

Application close date: 7 September 2026

Apply now

4) Principal

St. Mark’s College, Port Pirie (South Australia)

Application close date: 18 September 2026

Apply now

5) Early advice: Executive Director of Schools

Catholic Diocese of Wollongong (NSW)

Application close date: 23 September 2026

Apply now

6) Learning Leader: Religious Education (VIC)

MacKillop College

Application close date: 11 September 2026

Apply now

7) Principal (QLD)

St Colman’s Catholic School, Home Hill

Application close date: 13 September 2026

Apply now

8) Mission Integration Manager

Mater Private Hospital Gold Coast

Application close date: 9 September 2026

Apply now

9) Congregational Services Assistant (NSW)

Sisters of the Good Samaritan

Application close date: 18 September 2026

Apply now

10) Community Relationship Coordinator – Phillip (ACT)

Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of Australia and Papua New Guinea

Application close date: 23 September 2026

Apply now

1) Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) Worker Retention Payment

This grant provides funding to support a wage increase for all eligible Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) workers. The initiative aims to strengthen the ECEC workforce by ensuring fair remuneration and improving workforce sustainability.

For more information or to apply, click here.

2) General Practice in Aged Care Incentive

The General Practice in Aged Care Incentive (GPACI) is designed to improve access to high-quality, proactive healthcare for older people living in residential aged care homes. It supports this by incentivising general practices to provide regular visits, structured care planning, and coordinated healthcare services.

Under the initiative, primary care providers and practices registered with MyMedicare receive incentive payments to deliver ongoing, planned care to their registered patients residing permanently in aged care facilities. 

For more information or to apply, click here.

3) Inclusion Support Program Guidelines

The Inclusion Support Program (ISP) aims to strengthen the capacity and capability of eligible Child Care Subsidy (CCS) approved early childhood education and care (ECEC) services to support the inclusion of children with additional needs. It focuses on addressing barriers to participation, ensuring all children can access, engage, and achieve positive learning outcomes alongside their peers in line with Approved Learning Frameworks.

The program also supports services to meet their obligations under the National Quality Framework (NQF), including alignment with the National Quality Standard (NQS), by promoting inclusive, equitable, and high-quality practices within early learning environments. 

For more information or to apply, click here.

4) Organisational Support: Navigating Governance and Compliance

As governance and regulatory requirements continue to evolve, social service organisations are increasingly required to navigate complex operational and compliance responsibilities while remaining focused on their core mission and the communities they serve.

Kane Preston-Stanley, Director of Challenge Compliance & Solutions, works with social services and education providers to navigate these demands, supporting organisations to strengthen their governance, operations and compliance frameworks while protecting the culture and mission at the heart of their work.

With more than 20 years of experience across legal and other professional roles, including seven years working with Catholic education organisations, Kane brings extensive experience in developing practical approaches to operational and compliance challenges.

For organisations reviewing their readiness in 2026, Kane recommends considering a simple but important question: Could you confidently identify your Responsible People and their obligations - and know where your data sits if you had to respond to a breach tomorrow?

Uncertainty around these questions may indicate areas where further review, advice or additional support could be beneficial.

CSSA members and organisations seeking an additional perspective on governance, operational or compliance matters can contact Kane at [email protected], or learn more about the services available through Challenge Compliance & Solutions at challengesolutions.com.au.

As we approach the end of another financial year, I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to all our member organisations for their continued support and partnership. Your commitment to our shared mission empowers CSSA to advocate for a more just, compassionate, and inclusive society.

Throughout the past year, we have worked together to strengthen the voice of the Catholic social services sector and support those experiencing disadvantage. The impact we have made is a testament to the dedication, generosity, and trust of members like you.

As we enter a new financial year, we warmly invite you to renew your membership and remain part of a community united by service, advocacy, and a commitment to the common good. Thank you for walking alongside us. We are deeply grateful for your partnership and look forward to continuing this journey together.

For those who are not yet members but feel aligned with our purpose, we warmly invite you to reach out to us for a private consultation. You may contact our National Office on (02) 6285 1366, or email us at [email protected].

We would be delighted to learn more about your organisation, your vision, and the mission that guides your work and explore how we may support you in moving forward.

God be with you,

Feel free to share this newsletter with your network, and if you haven’t subscribed yet, sign up now to receive regular updates, news, and insights from CSSA. Follow us on our social channels to stay connected, share your voice, and amplify our collective impact. We would love your support in expanding our online community!