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Black History Month is a month of significance and symbolism for the unity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nations, in celebration of Australia’s rich, vibrant Indigenous histories and cultures.

It is an opportunity for ALL AUSTRALIANS to recognise the true Australian identity and to respectfully promote greater awareness of the diversity and innovation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and history.

Australia’s Black (BLAK) history month, will join the worldwide celebration of Black History Month, giving a greater international profile to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nations, alongside Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.

For more information on what's happening around Brisbane have a look at the Black History Month program (462.31 KB) and Black History Month flier (1.29 MB).

Please note: the sesssion 'Our Playwrights and their Plays' (week 2) is now scheduled for thursday 12 august 2010 from 2:45-4:00pm in the brisbane city council libary, brisbane square, tiered theatrette, ground floor.

The Network’s purposes are:
- Sharing Information
- Networking
- Creating Coalitions on Projects
- Working Together for Change

The second forum of the Criminal Justice Network was held on the 25th February at Jagera Arts Centre (South Brisbane). If you wish to speak to an issue at the next forum, please complete a form for either electronic or handwritten submission.

The next CJN forum will be held on the 26th August 2010

For more information please email: This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it or phone 07 3025 2013 or check the website at http://www.cjn.org.au/

The Grand Plan is a new vision for the future care and support of older Australians. As part of that we are encouraging all Australians to lend their voice to our call for Canberra to ensure that:

• aged care is provided when it is needed, rather than rationed;
• the system is easy to navigate and gives older people and their families genuine choices of service types and providers; and
• the way we pay for aged care meets the actual cost of the care provided.

If we all speak up, Canberra will have to listen. www.thegrandplan.com.au

UnitingCare Queensland is concerned about the critical inadequacy of funding for residential aged care and the potential impacts on frail older people and their families, the community and the aged care industry. Click here to find out more about theUnitingCare Queenslands Aged Care Interest Group and to view our position paper Crunch Time for residential aged care funding.

UnitingCare Queensland celebrated NAIDOC week in the head office this year, hearing personal stories and sharing the meaning of NAIDOC. We would like to thank the speakers of the event Trudy Cooper and Christine Himstedt-Anderson (Lifeline Community Care) for sharing their stories with us and giving everyone a chance to learn and reflect by sharing together.

NAIDOC stands for the National Aboriginal and Islander Day Observance Committee. Its origins can be traced to the emergence of Aboriginal groups in the 1920s which sought to increase awareness in the wider community of the status and treatment of Indigenous Australians.

Today, NAIDOC is a celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and an opportunity to recognise the contributions of Indigenous Australians in various fields.

The 2010 National NAIDOC theme is 'Unsung Heroes - Closing the Gap by Leading Their Way'. Many unsung Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have made huge contributions to Australian society. 'Unsung heroes' recognises the part played by the quiet achievers in the Indigenous community, both now and in the past. For more information please visit the official website 

image: Anita, Trudy Cooper (LCCQ Caboolture), Kath Piggot (UCQ) and Christine Himstedt-Anderson (LCCQ Toowoomba) cutting the NAIDOC cake

Issue 6 of socialJUSTICE Innovation and Reconciliation OUT SOON!

The latest issue Resilience and Disadvantage released in April, discussed A Scan of Disadvantage in Queensland 2010, Age Care policy and what it's like to have a disability. Issue 5 included a fun quiz and much much more ...

Issue 6 Innovation and Reconciliation will look at initiaitves in reconciliation within UnitingCare Queensland and international examples, we will hear from the experince of a young man working towards his goals and a different perspective on Australian history, with of course a fun quiz to test your knowlege. Issue 6 is due out in August/September.

To view or download socialJUSTICE click here

To receive the FREE socialJUSTICE e-newsletter click the subscribe tab at the left on the menu bar or email This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it   with your postal address for a free hard copy. socialJUSTICE is released three times a year.

A Scan of Disadvantage 2010 launch Tuesday 9 March 2010.

The Centre has engaged Pam Bourke, Fiona Caniglia and Angkana Praphakorn Whiley to create an up-to-date 2010 version of the Scan of Disadvantage in Queensland 2006. The 2006 report aimed to “identify the dimensions of spatial disadvantage in Queensland to inform future service delivery and research work undertaken by UnitingCare Queensland”. Using recent data (including SEIFA data and the Index of Relative Disadvantage) the new report highlights the communities in Queensland with the most significant concentrations of disadvantage.

The revision of this report comes at a critical time for Australian households and communities with the crisis in the global and national economy and a likely escalation of poverty including high levels of unemployment. The report will be relevant to these particular circumstances and take the opportunity to offer a positive contribution to addressing such challenges in partnership with government, business and other community organisations.

A Scan of Disadvantage in Queensland 2010

2010 Fact sheets on statistical divisions are also available here.

Brisbane Institute article: Disadvantage in Queensland by Greg Mackay

Please contact the Centre for Social Justice for a hard copy at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it   or 07 3025 2013. Click here to view Scan of Disadvantage in Queensland 2006.

The Centre has worked with the Synod’s Communication Services Unit to create an on-line Housing and Homelessness Directory to be used by individuals, congregations, and presbyteries.  The Directory provides access to information about housing and homelessness and related resources and services and is locality oriented.

Rather than having expert local knowledge, anyone can respond to enquiries using information from one website tailored to the needs of the Uniting Church. 

The Housing and Homelessness Directory is implementation of a decision made by the 27th Queensland Synod as part of a comprehensive suite of proposals adopted as a response to homelessness.  Click here to view the Resolution A Place to Call Home

Read all about the launch of the Housing and Homelessness Directory in the latest Journey October 2009

Every Thursday people around the world are invited to wear black. This campaign focuses on rape and violence in our community; wearing black on Thursdays "demonstrates a desire for a community where we can all walk safely without fear of being beaten up, verbally abused, raped, or being discriminated against due to your sexual orientation, political affiliation, gender or ethnicity. It shows you want to be free."

Thursdays in Black campaign protests began in the 1970s by Argentinean women. These women began wearing black sashes in honour of their friends and family members who were disappearing, being raped, and abused. Their ultimate goal was to raise the government’s awareness to these acts of violence happening in their homeland. Little did they know the Thursdays in Black campaign would later evolve into an international campaign. Every Thursday, many Australians wear black and/or ribbons and badges to recognize the rape and violence suffered by Aboriginal people for over 200 years and to silently protest for a world without violence.

If you want to help demonstrate a desire for a community where people of all sexual, political, gender and ethnic orientations can be safe, consider wearing black on Thursdays.