Justice and Compassion

The St Vincent de Paul Society National Council has released its Federal Election Statement, Justice and Compassion. There are four recommendations that call on the Australian Government to lift people out of poverty. These include an adequate safety net, safe and secure housing options, meeting the needs of First Nations Peoples and welcoming people seeking asylum. For more information go to vinnies.org.au.

To help monitor advocacy efforts, and to assist with ensuring a national advocacy approach, please email svdpfedelect@svdp.org.au with details of your proposed meeting and, where possible, any photos or key outcomes that were discussed.  

Please note if you wish to express your views on matters not covered by Justice and Compassion, clearly state that they are your personal opinions, and not those of the Society.

Your National Council President and State or Territory President have written to major political party presidents, candidates in targeted marginal seats and incumbent MPs and the half Senate.

However, you can bring the Society’s voice to life by outlining our recommendations to candidates in your electorate and explaining what we want them to commit to if they are elected.

Talk to the issues you know about and outline what’s been happening to people in your community since the last election but remember to de-identify any personal stories about those you have assisted.

Your opinion is valuable, and it will assist your future MP to influence public policy and represent your community.

Download template letter - Members to Candidates

To find contact details for your incumbent MP and Senators, visit the APH website: www.aph.gov.au.

For other candidates, contact details may be available on specific party or independent websites.

Information on your electorate is also available on the AEC website: www.aec.gov.au

For larger states, please contact your Central Council/Regional Council Social Justice Rep before contacting your MP and/or candidate because they can update you on relevant developments and let you know if any other contact arrangements have been put in place in your state or territory.

Draft a short email or letter introducing yourself as a local constituent and St Vincent de Paul Society member and request a time to meet to discuss key issues outlined in Justice and Compassion, which should be attached (or linked).

Follow up with a phone call if you’ve not heard back after a couple of days and accept offers to meet with a member of staff, if the MP and/or candidate is not available.

• Review our Federal Election documents, Justice and Compassion, including recommendations.
• Familiarise yourself with your key points but you don’t need to cover everything.
• Prepare for questions that may be asked about the Society, such as what you do as a member, what services the Society runs locally, and which areas you consider to be in greatest need.
• Read the biography or ‘about’ section of your candidate’s webpage (for MPs and Senators check aph.gov.au).
• Read the latest media releases and search the APH website for speeches to find out what they have said about the issues you plan to discuss.
• Follow your MP, Senator or candidate on Twitter and/or Facebook.

The purpose of the meeting is to raise awareness of Justice and Compassion, and to begin or continue to maintain a relationship with your local MP, Senator or candidate.

• Be aware of your time-frame and be succinct – usually 30 minutes maximum.
• Introduce yourself and explain that you’ll be discussing recommendations in Justice and Compassion and ways they could make a difference in your local area.
• Acknowledge any help your MP or Senator has provided in the past.
• Briefly outline why you care about the issues and, if applicable, highlight any shared values.
• Talk about your experiences of how the issues manifest in your local area, share the views of your local community, and highlight relevant St Vincent de Paul Society activities and/or services.
• Base your views on facts and be able to reference them (noting that all materials are on our website)
• Be positive and professional, avoid getting frustrated. Don’t be surprised if the meeting is interrupted, particularly if you are meeting with incumbent Senators or MPs as they are usually very busy.
• If you can, ask if they are happy to have their photo taken with you and Justice and Compassion (please share this with your Vincentian networks and forward to svdpfedelect@svdp.org.au).
• Thank them for their time and thank their staff for helping you set up the meeting. You should also do this by email or letter.
• Follow up commitments made at the meeting and let the MP/Senator/candidate know you will share the outcome of these commitments with your fellow conference members and the Society’s staff.
• Tell people about the meeting! This can inspire others to take action and helps keep MPs, Senators and candidates accountable.
• Don’t forget to send all materials and outcomes of your meeting to svdpfedelect@svdp.org.au.