Editorial by Peter Whiting, Chair of SPC

34 Bedford St, Box Hill PO Box 505, Box Hill VIC 3128 Phones: SPC: (03) 9890 1077 Yarra Institute (03) 9899 4777 Mobile: 0432 991 085 [email protected] www.socialpolicyconnections.com.au

NEWSLETTER April 2009 Responding to troubled times Editorial by Peter Whiting, Chair of SPC Troubled times need more than simply government This burnt survivor from the Victorian bushfires is cooling leadership; they require resolute and insightful off in perhaps his first ever tub, thanks to caring responses, from all citizens, including Christians. neighbours. How will climate change affect these precious Constantly confronting us through the media are the native creatures? Photo sunrise.seven on flickr. global financial crisis, the effects of climate change, great shifts in economic and political power young people. We anticipate the research findings will internationally, and pressing issues of justice in arouse considerable interest in the general Australia and overseas. community. At the recent G20 Summit, world leaders agreed on a The Yarra Institute is not only involved in academic program to restore confidence in markets and enquiry. It aims to foster conversation and hopefully to stabilise the financial system. But there cooperation about the positive role religion and social are deeper issues which need attention if we are to ethics can play in the development of public policy. secure a more just future. Social policies need to be evaluated not only for their economic and financial Developments at Social Policy Connections impacts, but for a just distribution of wealth and SPC was incorporated in 2005 as an independent opportunity, their consequences for human wellbeing ecumenical organisation aiming to influence the and the common good. These ethical goals challenge policy agenda of Australian governments through us about how we make a worthwhile difference. public advocacy. It draws on the skills and expertise Launch of the of members of the community. With the generous support of individuals and organisations, and the Yarra Institute for Religion and Social Policy active involvement of members, SPC is extending its On Thursday 23 April the Yarra Institute for Religion activities. and Social Policy will be officially launched with a presentation by The Honourable Brian Howe AM on The SPC website has proved a tremendous boon for ‘The churches and public policy: past and future’. The communicating with a much wider circle of people, founding of the Institute has been a major project for and has attracted significant traffic even from Social Policy Connections which considered that overseas. Australian social policy had much to gain from a greater awareness of Christian social thinking. The move into the Study Centre at Yarra Theological Union last year took us a further step forward, Credible advocacy in the formulation of public policy offering an excellent venue to address urgent issues. requires compelling and professional research into In recent months speakers have covered topics as significant issues of social justice, peace and human diverse as the Commonwealth intervention in the development. The Yarra Institute provides a new Northern Territory by Dr Hilary Martin OP; Dr Joel vehicle for such research. Edwards, Director of Micah Challenge International on the UN MDGs; Professor John O Fox on the need Its first project is already under way, with Dr Joan for greater social equity in taxation; and disturbing Daw researching ‘An investigation into the religious talks by Drs Geoff Lacey and Stephen Ames on the and non-religious factors associated with the implications of climate change. engagement of youth in social justice activities’. It aims to identify and explore the practical implications Recent talks will shortly be available on YouTube and for schools, churches and other organisations and our website, along with texts of talks or reports on our community groups of the relationship between latest events. religious faith, identity and social involvement among New additions to our website include Africa's Bill Frilay, ‘Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament – the Awakening Giant?’ Cameroon Geoff Lacey: ‘A response to climate change’ and Angola in Bruce Duncan: ‘The popes versus the free market’ March. For a Brian Lewis, ‘The main ethical theories’; and ‘Pope Benedict’s visit to Africa’. commentary Others are on the production line. We invite readers to submit articles for consideration by our editors. on Benedict's African visit Pope’s encyclical on hunger, poverty and speeches, see Brian Lewis on the SPC website. and globalisation coming in May Consultation on the Non-Proliferation Treaty Pope Benedict XVI's new social encyclical is finished and should be released in early May, according to Following his submission to the Joint Standing Cardinal Renato Martino, president of the Pontifical Committee on Treaties Inquiry into Nuclear Non- Council for Justice and Peace, speaking to reporters in Proliferation in February, Mr Bill Frilay as a Rome on 20 March. representative of Social Policy Connections joined an NGO delegation to Canberra on 2 April to meet officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. He reports: On 2 April I attended consultations in Canberra between NGOs and the International Commission on Nuclear Proliferation and Disarmament (IC) and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on the forthcoming Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) negotiations. The consultations were organised by Ms Dimity Thomas of ICAN (International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons). Momentum for non-proliferation and disarmament has slowed over this decade while several new Pope Benedict releasing a dove in the Holy Spirit Cathedral in problems have emerged. The NPT is up for Istanbul, Turkey, December 2006. Courtesy Johnhanscom at flickr. review next year, with its Preparatory Committee to meet in May 2009. The encyclical was originally intended to address The meetings were for NGOs to put their views issues of globalisation and commemorate the 40th and to discuss them with government. Both the IC anniversary of Pope Paul VI's landmark encyclical, and DFAT are pursuing goals broadly similar to Development of Peoples. However, with the recent the NGOs, with some achievements for which collapse in financial markets and the continuing appreciation was expressed. One point of difference is that a model Nuclear Weapons turmoil in the international economy, the Pope and his Convention had been drafted by NGOs which is writers had to keep reworking the encyclical. not yet being pursued by government on the This encyclical will be the third by Pope Benedict, grounds of insufficient international political will and is the first major encyclical devoted to questions for it. of social justice, peace, global poverty and hunger President Obama has since delivered his landmark since Pope John Paul II's Centesimus Annus of 1991, Prague speech on 5 April. This represents a which commemorated Pope Leo XIII's foundational quantum leap forward in prospect for non- 1891 social encyclical, On the Condition of the proliferation and disarmament. Working Class. It was a marvellous speech – inspiring, Some of the themes in the new encyclical are demonstrating leadership and setting a clear policy undoubtedly foreshadowed in Pope Benedict's visit to direction. One day we may look back and say this was a landmark when world leaders got serious about nuclear disarmament. See Bill Frilay’s report, ‘Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament – the Awakening Giant?’ on the SPC will organise a public forum to analyse and debate the homepagenew encyclical on oursoon SPC after website.it appears. See We alsowill keep some you posted. excellent submissions on the government site www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/jsct/nuclearnon _proliferation/index.htm, especially those by Dr Joe Camilleri and by Gareth Evans