Advocacy
From charity to justice: How advocacy works at St Vincent de Paul. We don't just provide immediate relief; we challenge the systemic barriers that create poverty.
“You must not be content with tiding the poor over the poverty crisis. You must study their injustices which brought about such poverty, with the aim of a long-term improvement.”
Advocacy in Practice
Social Media
Amplifying voices and raising awareness through strategic digital storytelling and community engagement.
Submissions & Campaigns
Influencing policy and legislation through evidence-based formal submissions to government inquiries and targeted public campaigns.
Meetings with MPs and Government Representatives
Direct engagement with policy makers to advocate for the rights and dignity of the people we serve.
Media & Comms
Framing the public narrative through expert commentary, press releases, and deep-dive media partnerships.
Policy Papers
Developing rigorous, research-led policy recommendations to address the structural causes of disadvantage.
Join Our Advocacy Network
Priority Policy Areas
Housing & Homelessness
Combatting homelessness, increasing affordable housing.
Gambling Reform
Influencing legislation through evidence-based formal submissions to government inquiries and targeted public campaigns.
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Island
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia.
How does the Society practise advocacy?
Our advocacy begins by listening to the people we assist – our Companions – and elevating their experiences with those who have the power to make change.
It is grounded in the vision of Blessed Frédéric Ozanam and guided by the principles of Catholic Social Teaching.
Our work includes policy development and research, building the evidence base behind the Society’s positions on issues such as housing and homelessness, income support, tax reform, gambling harm, refugees, and First Nations peoples.
Our policy positions, approved by National Council, are also based on advice from the National Council Social Justice Advisory Committee and the Vincentian Refugee Network.
We draft submissions, make representations and support campaigns. The Society responds to parliamentary inquiries and government consultations, often working alongside organisations where there is strong alignment.
We support Member engagement through webinars, advocacy resources, and materials tied to key moments such as federal elections.
We also undertake direct advocacy, including meetings with federal parliamentarians, often alongside our State and Territory Presidents, to raise key issues directly with decision-makers.
