KCV/GPV campaigns

GPV/KCV believes that violence against children is never appropriate, even in the context of discipline. It can do long-term damage to their physical and emotional health, and may perpetuate a continuing cycle of of corporal punishment in future generations.

Children across Australia should be in schools and playgrounds, not prison cells. As the ACT Government has shown leadership every other state and territory government must follow suit and change their laws so that children are no longer hauled before courts and locked away in jails.

Under COVID-19 restrictions, court-ordered contact between children and their families was suspended in almost all cases without consultation with the Court. The Court has adjourned most cases and is only hearing urgent applications, where contact for children with their family and friends is an urgent matter.

GPV/KCV supports the ‘Every Child’ national campaign aimed at promoting the wellbeing of children and young people by calling on governments to establish a National Child Development Fund and to adopt national wellbeing indicators and targets for child health, education, justice and wellbeing.

In August, the GPV/KCV Board wrote to all federal members of parliament to outline concerns with the approach to adoption being taken in NSW. Of particular concern was the move to advertise children for adoption on a website.

GPV/KCV notes that the inadequate provision of health care services is becoming increasingly problematic.

Since its establishment in Victoria in the 1980s, many families have benefitted from the support offered by the Court Network (CN).

GPV believes that everyone has the right to a life free from poverty. We are concerned about the inadequacy of the Jobseeker (formerly Newstart) Payment and how this inadequacy affects many informal kinship carers.

The central driver of this campaign was the fact that in 2013 the United Nations nominated children’s play as an issue of international significance by making Article 31 (A Child’s Right to Play) of the convention the subject of a UN General Comment, which is a call to action issued to countries by the UN.

This campaign, commenced by Anglicare, is designed to have governments extend the leaving age for out of home care extended from 18 years to 21 years.

GPV/KCV believes that the easy availability of alcohol is problematic and that measures should be introduced to control its sale.

In 2017, GPV/KCV supported those who were campaigning for marriage equality, encouraging people to vote ‘yes’ in the Australian Government’s postal plebiscite.

GPV/KCV is driven by a desire to see improvements in the aged care sector across the nation.

GPV/KCV believes it is necessary to strike a balance between working life and family responsibilities.This is particularly important for those who are caring for young children and children with special needs.

GPV/KCV believes that all children have the right to be safe, healthy and happy. Female genital mutilation is contrary to that right. This campaign is designed to support the work of a range of agencies working to abolish genital mutilation.

From 2010 to 2019 six election campaigns were conducted, with logs of claims issued to candidates from major parties in either the Australian or Victorian elections across campaigns.