The St Vincent de Paul Society Canberra/Goulburn announces the election of new President, Mr Brian Stacey PSM

The St Vincent de Paul Society Canberra/Goulburn (the Society) welcomes its new President to lead the Society through an era of unprecedented challenges and change.

The Society has been present in the Canberra/Goulburn archdiocese since its founding in 1895 in Goulburn and marks its 100 years of service in Canberra later this year. The election of Mr Stacey marks a new chapter in the life of the Society. Mr Stacey brings extensive leadership in the public policy sphere and academic experience where he was recently serving as a Professor in Practice at the Australian National University.

Prior to being a Professor in Practice at the Australian National University, Mr Stacey was the First Assistant Secretary in Indigenous Affairs and was the Commonwealth’s State Manager for Indigenous Affairs in the Northern Territory. It is in this role Mr Stacey was awarded the Public Service Medal.

The position of President is a key leadership role that oversees the organisation and running of the Society’s members, of whom there are nearly 500 currently in the Society.

These volunteer members devote themselves to the daily service of doing “good works” on the ground in their respective communities. These communities are grouped into conferences. There are some 50 conferences serving people doing it tough in the region in which the Society operates, ranging from Tumut in the Snowy Mountains, the far south coast of New South Wales down to Eden, and out West to Lake Cargelligo, and the capital region. Specialist support services and the Society’s professional staff support their work.

In the past year, the Society’s work in regional New South Wales has been expanded with added resources and services to support the work of the members to meet the rising need for assistance across all the communities we serve.

“In a time of unprecedented need in the community, as the cost of living and housing affordability crisis continues to hurt families, we are seeing a sharp increase in people coming to us for life’s essentials, many coming to a charity for the first time,” said Mr Stacey

“I’m honoured to be appointed to this role to help guide the Society so we can continue to meet these challenges and support our members who help those seeking assistance with dignity and compassion.”

Mr Stacey has been a member of the South Woden conference since 2013, and also served as the President in Cairns of a conference for several years providing emergency relief to families in their homes with his fellow members, so comes to the role with deep understanding of the needs in the community and the role the Society plays in giving people a hand-up every day.

Interviews available with: Mr Brian Stacey PSM

Media contact: Sophia Brady - sophia.brady@vinnies.org.au