In this world of cyber threats, I want to bring to your attention a notification we sent out a little earlier this week about a company ‘masquerading’ as FRSA and offering the FRSA Conference delegate list, with contacts, for sale.  Firstly, I wanted to assure all readers that we view your privacy as extremely important and would never use any of your personal information in a way other than what you have given us permission to do.  In addition, I did want to advise you to ignore any offer/s made to you to purchase delegate lists from the FRSA Conference, or any other FRSA event for that matter.  They will always be bogus.

There is no Parliamentary/Government news section in the eBulletin this week given we are in the middle of a Federal Election campaign and the Government public service is in caretaker mode.  During this time Government Departments can continue on with ‘work in progress’.  As such, you will see underneath ‘Get involved’ a ‘call to action’ for those organisations delivering the Department of Social Services (DSS) funded FaRs and SFVS programs to provide assistance to the evaluators – Allen & Clarke – to recruit evaluation participants who are past and/or current recipients of your FaRS/SFVS services.  I do know that many organisations are attempting to work with Allen & Clarke in this phase of the evaluation as best they can but if you have further capacity or questions, or you are yet to engage and eager, do reach out to them.  See below for more detail.

We did highlight for readers in the previous eBulletin that the new FDRP regulations were coming into effect on 1 April 2025.  We are aware that the new regulations are having a practice impact for service providers of family law services especially regarding the process of intake and assessment.  It is our intention to convene a FRSA Member network conversation to encourage members to share how they are approaching the matter under the revised FDRP regulations (& indeed any other matters they may wish to talk about). We will send out that invite directly through our Member Alert communication.  In addition, following on from conversations with AGD staff about some of these matters, they did produce an ‘information sheet’ that they have asked us to share with our network.

The FRSA National Conference 19-22 May is looming large in our work schedule over the coming weeks.  We are delighted that delegates attending can secure CPD/OPD points from Community Work Australia and/or the Australian Counselling Association.   And please don’t forget to check out the pre-Conference Workshop options as well – even if you have already registered for the Conference, you can always add a workshop on. Also – you don’t need to be registered for the whole Conference event to attend the workshops so, this might interest day trippers. If you haven’t registered – here’s the link.

Until the next edition of the eBulletin – I wish you a Happy Easter and Happy School holiday break/season.

Kind regards,
Jackie Brady
FRSA Executive Director

We’re excited to announce a number of our Keynote Speakers for the FRSA National Conference 2025 in Sydney!

Day 1 – Tuesday 20 May 2025

• Commissioner Lil Gordon, Acting National Commissioner for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People

• Professor Sharon Bessell, Crawford School’s Director of Gender Equity and Diversity, Australian National University

Day 2 – Wednesday 21 May 2025

• The Honourable Justice Thomas Altobelli AM, Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia

Don’t miss out on Pre-Conference workshops on Monday, 19 May 2025! Spots are limited so secure your spot today before they sell out!

We’re excited to spotlight a new session, Beyond the Rainbow: supporting LGBTIQA+ families, children and young people, that is open to non-members – a fantastic opportunity to get involved even if you’re not yet a member!

Presented by Drummond Street Services, this workshop will introduce participants to ways of supporting with LGBTIQA+ families, children and young people in affirming and empowering ways. The interactive workshop will draw on Drummond Street’s extensive experience working with LGBTIQA+ people across the lifespan, through the provision of its specialist Queerspace programs as well as the support of LGBTIQA+ people across the organisation’s broad range of programs and services.

Find out more about the other Pre-Conference workshops:

• The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workshop, Cultural Frameworks and Embedding Them into Professional Practice

• Survey success: Simplifying data collection for maximum impact delivered by the Australian Institute of Family Studies

Stay tuned in for more details for our Family Law Workshop and Communities for Children Facilitating Partners (CfC FP) Workshop.

You can purchase a workshop-only day tickets for the Pre-Conference Workshop day, without the need to also buy a Conference registration.

FRSA is aware that there have been scam/phishing emails doing the rounds offering the FRSA Conference attendee list for purchase.

Please be aware these offers are fraudulent. These scammers do not have any relationship with FRSA or our assisting Conference Organisation, Kaigi Conferencing, and no data breach has been detected that would enable the senders of these emails to access the data they are attempting to sell.

FRSA is very careful with individual/personal data we capture as part of our event offerings.  We specifically ask delegates about how we can use their data and seek their permission confirming what information can and can’t be used when building delegate lists.  We do not share, rent or sell our email lists.

We ask you to not pursue their solicitations or provide any personal information.

If you receive an email or phone call about the conference that appears suspicious, please let us know via email events@frsa.org.au.

We’re thrilled to welcome the following sponsors who will join us in Sydney for this year’s National Conference.

• Centacare Brisbane as the Communities for Children (FP) Pre-Conference Workshop Sponsor
• Parenting Research Centre as an Exhibitor

There are still sponsorship package options available, designed to maximise visibility to showcase the work and activity of your organisation/business. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with the FRSA team on (02) 6162 1811 or events@frsa.org.au.

The Inspector-General of Taxation and the Taxation Ombudsman have released the report of the Review into the identification and management of financial abuse within the tax system.

Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows that 1 in 6 women (16% or 1.6 million women) and 1 in 13 men (7.8% or 745,000 men) have experienced economic abuse by an intimate partner. Financial abuse can occur through many different types of practices, including weaponisation of the tax system.

This review was undertaken to understand how the tax system is being weaponised and what action is required from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) to address it and provide appropriate support and remediation for those affected.

The report recommends that the ATO, in consultation with subject matter experts, community organisations and people with lived experience:

1. develop and provide regular mandatory training to all ATO frontline officers and other staff who engage with taxpayers to support them in identifying and referring cases of financial abuse to a specialist team
2. create a specialist, centralised team to be the point of referral for cases of alleged or potential financial abuse that are outside the skills and expertise of ATO frontline officers to manage
3. provide additional specialist training in financial abuse and trauma-informed practice to officers in that team, those in the Specialised Client Support team and the Advocate Help Desk
4. refresh its policies and procedures to include specific guidance on the identification and management of financial abuse within the tax system
5. consider options to implement system indicators that alert ATO officers to potential financial abuse while minimising safety and privacy risks for victim-survivors.

The report, case studies and ‘ten things to know’ factsheet are available here.

With the federal election to be held on Saturday 3 May, the ACNC is reminding charities to be aware of their obligations regarding political advocacy, campaigning and disclosing electoral spending above a set dollar amount.

Charities can engage in advocacy and they make a valuable contribution to national policy conversations.

Importantly, charities are allowed to advocate for changes in law or policy, as long as this work furthers their charitable purpose.

However, any advocacy or campaigning activity must not have the purpose of:

• promoting or opposing a political party or a candidate for political office
• engaging in or promoting unlawful activities or
• engaging in or promoting activities contrary to public policy.

These are disqualifying purposes and charities that engage in them risk losing ACNC registration.

Further, charities that spend above a set threshold have to report that spending to the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC). The AEC has published guidance which explains when a charity is required to report electoral spending, how to report it and related information.

Read the ACNC guidance and the AEC guidance.

FRSA Executive Director, Jackie Brady, was delighted to attend FRSA Member Pronia’s launch of the Pronia & HWL Ebsworth Lawyers Legal Clinic at their premises in Brunwick, Victoria on Wednesday afternoon.

The Legal Clinic is a formal partnership between Pronia & HWL Ebsworth Lawyers – a national legal firm – that will provide pro bono legal advice to people accessing Pronia’s services across a range of legal matters.

Pronia’s CEO, Syliva Hadjiantoniou MC’d the event and described her immense pride in the Board and staff at Pronia for bringing this partnership to life.  This endeavour was clearly a passion project for Pronia’s Chair, Elpis Korosidis, a lawyer with over 25 years’ experience who spoke to the 50+ strong crowd at the event.  Also speaking at the launch was Pronia’s much admired and respected Patron, Justice Emilios Kyrou, who reflected on the history and ongoing importance of Pronia being a significant support to the Australian Greek community.

Congratulations to Pronia and HWL Ebsworth Layers on this partnership.

The FRSA Board approved the following organisations as new members.Welcome to:

• Bungree Aboriginal Association

Bungree Aboriginal Association is a Central Coast Aboriginal Community based organisation, which provides a wide range of services to help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people residing on the Central Coast of New South Wales.

Bungree has been operating as a registered not for profit organisation since 7th July 1995 and has been providing services to children, families, the elderly, disabled and disadvantaged for over 20 years.

Bungree is the largest Aboriginal not for profit organisation on the Central Coast and currently employs approximately 35 permanent and casual field employees. We operate and deliver 28 funded programs and services to the Central Coast, Newcastle and Upper Hunter.

• Catholic Social Services NSW/ACT

Since its establishment in July 2018, the purpose of Catholic Social Services NSW/ACT as a network is to build capacity, share, support and promote best practice, advocate and to encourage partnerships between Catholic social services within New South Wales and the ACT.

Additionally, as a state-wide advocate, Catholic Social Services NSW/ACT also works with its members to produce evidence/research which informs public opinion and assists government and the community to develop just and compassionate social and economic policies that will improve the lives of the vulnerable and disadvantaged people in New South Wales and the ACT.

• Individual Member – Evie Morgan

Evie is a Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner and is the Co-Director of Monarda Mediations located in Brisbane, Queensland.

On Tuesday, 25 March, Centacare Brisbane opened a new residence in Beaudesert to support a small number of women over 50 who are at risk of homelessness.

Centacare Mercy House will welcome women for stays from three days to three months. They will be supported and empowered to find and sustain affordable, safe and permanent housing. This could include support to build rental history, find part-time employment or establish financial independence.  

The four-bedroom house was gifted to Centacare by the Sisters of Mercy in August last year.

“Most of these women have never been homeless before,” said Director of Centacare Services Deb Clark. “In fact, many don’t even identify as experiencing homelessness. They might move between staying with children, relatives or friends to keep a roof over their head. Some are adept at house-sitting whilst others sleep in their car when there is nowhere else to go.

“For these women Centacare Mercy House will provide more than just shelter. Our team can provide assistance with paperwork and arrange legal advice, financial counselling and support. Once suitable accommodation has been found, our teams can assist with relocation, connecting women with service providers to make their transition between homes as easy as possible.” Read more.

Last month BaptistCare took home two awards at the 2025 Innovation Transforming Aged Care (ITAC) Awards.

The annual event saw the BaptistCare’s IT and Innovation team (NSW, ACT, WA) awarded the Capacity Building Award, which celebrates programs that enhance the skills, knowledge, and capabilities of the aged and community care workforce and empower older Australians to live fuller lives.

While BaptistCare’s (VIC, TAS, SA) Data and Analytics team took home the Data Insights Award, which celebrates the power of data in driving evidence-based innovation.

The team was recognised for developing a business intelligence app to harness predictive insights across the residential aged care workforce and customer management.

“At BaptistCare, we have developed an innovation culture that’s making creativity and innovation inclusive for all our employees,” said Petrina Greenwood, Head of IT Strategy and Innovation.

“Whether it’s connecting our IT teams with front-line staff and residents in aged care to think of creative solutions to real-world problems, partnering with ACU to use AI to address the difficulties with clinical note taking, using AI translation to better communicate with clients where English is their second language, or using robotics to overcome workforce shortages and injuries; our teams are thinking broadly across all the work we do to see where innovation can make a real difference.”

“These efforts enable us to tackle sector wide problems and create innovative solutions that address the challenges faced by all aged care organisations,” she said. Read more.

The National Family Law Pathways Networks in collaboration with the Attorney-General’s Department will deliver a webinar information series on recent changes to the Family Law Act.

• Tuesday 15 April 2025 1:00pm – 2:00pm AEST (register here): Overview of changes to the Family Law Act from June 2025 – information session delivered by Rebecca Mills, A/g Assistant Secretary, Family Law Branch
• Tuesday 29 April 2025 1:00pm – 2:00pm AEST (register here): Overview of changes to the Family Law Act: focus on dispute resolution – panel discussion hosted by Rebecca Mills and featuring:
  • The Hon John Faulks, former Deputy Chief Justice of the Family Court of Australia
  • Ms Clare Moran, Senior Advisor Family Law, Relationships Australia Victoria
  • Senior Judicial Registrar Anne-Marie Rice, Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia
• Tuesday 27 May 2025 1:00pm – 2:00pm AEST (register here): Overview of changes to the Family Law Act: focus on legal practice – panel discussion hosted by Rebecca Mills and featuring:
  • The Hon Justice Richard O’Brien, Family Court of Western Australia
  • Ms Meaghan Bradshaw, Practice Director, Women’s Legal Service Queensland
  • Mr Jamie Burreket, Managing Director, Broun Abrahams Burreket.

The Department of Social Services has recently commissioned an evaluation of Family and Relationship Services (FaRS) and Specialised Family Violence Services (SFVS). The Evaluation is a crucial opportunity to provide input on the future direction of the FaRS and SFVS programs. The evaluation will assess the effectiveness, appropriateness, and efficiency of FaRS and SFVS programs to inform ongoing service delivery, design and future policy.

To support the safety of service users, the research team is only recruiting service users through their service providers.

How you can help
If you deliver FaRS or SFVS programs your help is needed to support the evaluation. Your organisation can help increase the recruitment of clients by referring to the the email sent by Allen and Clarke consulting or by reaching out to Allen and Clarke at familiesevaluation@allenandclarke.com.au or on +61 499 225 441. The research team are available if you have any questions, or if you want to know more about the evaluation and how you can be involved.

Why get involved?
Recruitment of service users into interviews and surveys is behind target.

Data on client experiences and outcomes is vital for demonstrating the value and appropriateness of the program from the perspective of clients, and ensuring future policy and program decisions are adequately informed by the voices of families and children who use these services.

All service users who participate in an interview receive a $50 gift voucher and the first 800 survey respondents will receive a $25 gift voucher.

If you have any events you’d like listed on the FRSA Events and Training Calendar or job vacancies you’d like listed on the FRSA Jobs Board, email Communications Officer, Vanessa Lam at communications@frsa.org.au. Please note that posting onto the FRSA website is reserved for FRSA Members only.

If you have an news item or event that you would like to be featured in a future eBulletin please submit your announcement via the form below or email communications@frsa.org.au with the subject “FRSA eBulletin submission”.

Please note FRSA members receive priority for items posted in the eBulletin. And to keep information current, relevant and useful, submissions will not be repeated from week to week.