UnitingCare Australia

9 April 2010

UnitingCare Australia is inviting expressions of interest from Uniting Church congregations, agencies or other interested groups to be part of local forums to consider future energy affordability questions. We are particularly interested in the energy affordability perspectives of rural consumers, small business, aged households and services as well as low income citizens. UnitingCare Australia is concerned that rising energy prices are likely to be a major factor leading to increased financial hardship for large numbers of Australian households over the coming years. As such we are seeking to gather information, experiences and ideas from the broader Uniting Church and UnitingCare networks around the country.

The forums will be once-off, small local discussion groups and will be conducted during late May and June this year. Some funding is available to support people with costs associated with participating in these forums. The forums will be facilitated by Mark Henley from UnitingCare Wesley Adelaide, and be based around a number of discussion questions that will be circulated beforehand. Participants in the forums will not need to have any technical or policy knowledge – we are just inviting people to share their experiences and views. The information gathered will be used by UnitingCare Australia to prepare reports and briefings about energy affordability policy and programs, which will be used in national advocacy forums and with Federal Government Ministers, Departments and the energy industry.