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4 min read

Update from our Impact Fund partners: July 2020

This month, we have updates from two Impact Fund partners, the Australian Council of Social Service and the UNSW Indigenous Law Centre.

AUSTRALIAN COUNCIL OF SOCIAL SERVICES

TACKLING INEQUALITY PARTNER

Raise the Rate supporters gather in Lismore. Credit: Tony Davis.

In 2019, the Impact Fund raised $150,000 for the Raise the Rate campaign to support ACOSS in advocating for an increase to the base rate of Newstart and other allowances by at least $75 per week

With less than 100 days until the end of the COVID-19 supplement – and the Federal Government preparing to increase the unemployment benefit – the ACOSS is working harder than ever to secure a permanent, sustainable increase to Jobseeker and Youth Allowance.

UNSW INDIGENOUS LAW CENTRE

SUPPORTING INDIGENOUS SELF-DETERMINATION PARTNER

Professor Megan Davis has been named Balnaves Chair in Constitutional Law at the Indigenous Law Centre. Credit: UNSW.

In 2019, the Impact Fund raised $150,000 for the University of New South Wales’ Indigenous Law Centre and its Voice, Treaty, Truth campaign to progress the Uluru Statement from the Heart.

We’re delighted by the news of the Balnaves Foundation’s generous commitment of $1.25 million to establish a Chair in Constitutional Law for Professor Megan Davis at the UNSW Indigenous Law Centre. The donation was made in commemoration of Alexandra Balnaves who passed away last year.

Professor Davis is honoured to be named Balnaves Chair and is looking forward to providing the academic rigour needed to inform the design of a voice to parliament and a future Makarrata Commission, and to facilitate truth-telling processes.

With the Statement’s third anniversary taking place in May, it’s been a time to reflect on that historic moment when 13 regional dialogues held around the country – and many decades of struggle – culminated at the foot of Uluru on the lands of the Anangu people, in the release of the Statement from the Heart. If you weren’t able to attend the moving third anniversary of the Uluru Statement from the Heart, you can watch it here.