Social Inclusion Board Announced

Patricia Faulkner, who leads KPMG’s Global Healthcare practice and is advisor to both Federal and State Governments, will chair the newly formed Rudd Government’s Social Inclusion Board.

Announcing the participants, the parliamentary Secretary for Social Inclusion, Senator Ursula Stephens says the Board will work to ensure that every Australian has the opportunity to be a full participant in the life of the nation.

Senator Stephens says the Government is committed to putting people back at the centre of policy development and programs, and ensuring all levels of government work together to combat disadvantage.

The Australian Social Inclusion Board is set to consult widely and provide views and advice to the Government.

The Board will be asked to focus on the most disadvantaged geographic areas and communities in the nation and will be asked to make recommendations on policy that could change the lifetime circumstances of jobless families and children at risk.

The 2008-09 Budget included a range of measures needed to advance the Social Inclusion Agenda.

The new Australian Social Inclusion Board will be supported by the Social Inclusion Unit within the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.

Initiatives aimed at promoting social inclusion span from the early childhood years to formal education, from employment services to extra support for Indigenous Australians.

The participants are:

Patricia Faulkner (Chair)

Monsignor David Cappo (Vice Chair)
Mon. Cappo is a Catholic Priest and is currently the Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Adelaide, making him the deputy to the Archbishop of Adelaide.

Elleni Bereded-Samuel
Born in Ethiopia Elleni Bereded-Samual has focused her life’s work on strengthening education, training and employment for culturally and linguistically diverse communities in Australia. Elleni is now the Community Engagement Coordinator at Victoria University.

Dr Ngiare Brown
Dr Ngiare Brown is an Aboriginal woman from the south coast of NSW and one of the first half-dozen identified Aboriginal medical graduates in Australia.

Dr Ron Edwards
Dr Ron Edwards is a founding board member of the Graham (Polly) Farmer Foundation supporting Indigenous youth.

Eddie McGuire
Eddie McGuire is host of some of Australia’s most popular television shows and is Chairman of the Trevor Barker Foundation and works for many other charitable organisations.

Dr John Falzon
Dr John Falzon, a sociologist working in the area of social justice and social change, is Chief Executive Officer of the St Vincent de Paul Society National Council.

Ahmed Fahour
Ahmed Fahour is Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer Australia with the national Australia Bank

Professor Tony Vinson
Emeritus Professor (UNSW) and Honorary Professor (University of Sydney) Tony Vinson has worked with disadvantaged communities to strengthen the problem solving capacities of individuals and groups.

Linda White
Linda White is the Assistant National Secretary of the Australian Services Union, the largest union working in the social and community services sector.

Kerry Graham
Kerry Graham is the CEO of the Inspire Foundation, a national Not for profit organisation which creates opportunities for young people.

Tony Nicholson
Tony Nicholson is currently Executive Director of the Brotherhood of St Laurence in Melbourne, and is currently chairing an investigation into homelessness.

Dr Chris Sarra
Dr Chris Sarra is the Executive Director of the Indigenous Education Leadership Institute.

Professor Fiona Stanley
Former Australian of the year, Professor Fiona Stanley is the Founding Director of the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research, Chair of the Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth, and Professor, School of Paediatrics and Child Health, at the University of Western Australia.