AUSTRALIA’S new $688m HomeBuilder package has been described as “hitting the jackpot” by some potential homeowners, but there are warnings that the initiative has failed low-income families. The package offers a grant of $25,000 to build a new home worth less than $750,000 or to spend between $150,000 and $750,000 renovating an existing home. The scheme is limited to owner-occupiers ... Read More »
THE annual Vinnies CEO Sleepout will go ahead on Thursday, June 18, as a national online event due to COVID-19 restrictions, at a time when homelessness and poverty in Australia are on the rise. Participants will nominate to sleep in their cars, on their couch or outdoors in their backyard, while taking part in a live-stream hosted by television personality ... Read More »
VINNIES in Queensland are gearing up for a “wave” of people needing support in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The St Vincent de Paul Society’s Queensland chief executive officer Kevin Mercer said there had not been a significant increase in volumes of people needing support “as yet”. “I think some of the reason for that is that there is ... Read More »
VINNIES Queensland chief executive officer Kevin Mercy sent out a simple message to anyone affected by COVID-19 joblessness, underemployment or poverty – help is still available. Mr Mercer said to follow health directives meant Vinnies was forced to close its 153 Queensland shops last week for a four-week period from March 30. “The closure was necessary, but done with great ... Read More »
VINNIES Shop West End staff, local conference volunteers and members of the community gathered for the blessing of the new Montague Road store on July 18. Dutton Park parish priest Capuchin Father Lam Vu led a “simple but effective liturgy”, blessing the store with many representatives from the St Vincent de Paul Society present. West End centre co-ordinator Debbi Engler ... Read More »
YOUNG Catholic Lachlan Dent lives his life by a simple ethos – give your time and talents to other people. The 22-year-old recently was awarded the top prize at the north Queensland Volunteer awards in Townsville for his work as a youth representative on the St Vincent de Paul Society State Council. Mr Dent gives his time to helping disadvantaged ... Read More »
ST Vincent de Paul Society’s Queensland chief executive officer Kevin Mercer is getting ready to sleep rough on the streets of Brisbane for the annual Vinnies CEO Sleep Out. One-hundred-ninety Brisbane CEOs will sleep on the streets of Brisbane the night of Thursday, June 20 in an effort to raise funds and awareness about Brisbane’s homelessness and homelessness services. $432,396 ... Read More »
FORMER St Vincent de Paul Society Queensland state president Brian Moore, who regularly wrote a column for The Catholic Leader, has died from a long-term illness. A Vinnies member for more than 50 years, Mr Moore held various roles as a Vincentian, including state president, senior vice president of the society’s state council, diocesan president Toowoomba and regional president in ... Read More »
THE 2019 Federal Budget continues to ignore Australia’s most disadvantaged citizens, St Vincent de Paul Society national president Claire Victory said. Ms Victory said the Budget, delivered by Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, failed to address two dominant drivers of poverty and disadvantage in Australia – the soaring costs of basic housing and below-poverty-level income support payments. “We are disappointed this Budget ... Read More »
The Catholic Leader Keeping Faith with You
