Foreword
There are times in the struggle for social justice that it seems as though nothing will shake the status quo. And then there are times when everything is turned on its head overnight.
This is the first WACOSS State Budget Submission since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Last year we stepped away from our usual analysis as we were all forced to grapple with the new reality of the crisis. So we released our Community Recovery Plan instead, setting out recommendations to put in place the systems and supports necessary for an effective recovery that leaves no-one behind.
Now is the time for us to shift our thinking beyond a focus on recovery. While maintaining our diligence in combating the pandemic, WA can make reforms to ensure our state is fair, safe and strong into the future. To determine what those reforms are, WACOSS engaged in conversations with community members, workers and leaders, right across the state – from down in Albany to up in Broome, and so many places in between.
Our 2022-23 State Budget Submission, Beyond Recovery, is the result of all of those conversations. It sets out recommendations that address gaps in services, identify supports that need to be bolstered, and chart the systemic changes required for WA to be stronger and fairer into the future. Together we can take action to create a society that genuinely works for the benefit of all and not just the few. It is our hope that the recommendations in this submission prove useful for the State Government, sector organisations and the communities we all live in, to collectively achieve that goal.
Debra Zanella Louise Giolitto
President Chief Executive Officer