COVID-19 Update for Organisations Supporting Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Communities No. 1, 9 April 2020
9 April 2020
Welcome to the first edition of our CALD-focused newsletter.
Information develops daily concerning COVID-19, and to support your important work, we are sharing some useful resources and links to assist organisations supporting culturally and linguistically diverse communities.
If you would like ACTCOSS to get answers to particular issues or if you have information to share, please contact us.
In the meantime, if you would like to raise any gaps or issues affecting your organisation, or any services that require increased funding to meet an immediate need in the COVID-19 response, please get in touch with ACTCOSS through our general email address [email protected], someone from the team, or joining one of our teleconferences below.
Resources
Financial & Visa Support
- New FREE subclass 408 visa for temporary visa holders, including students and skilled visa holders unable to leave, to remain in Australia lawfully
- Canberra Business Advice and Support Service launched (includes NFPS & charities). For more info contact 02 6297 3121
- Fairwork: COVID-19 & Australian Workplace Laws
- Australian Government Factsheet: Income Support, Household Support, Superannuation Early Release
- Australian Government Factsheet:Cash Flow Assistance for Business, Not-for-Profits, and Charities (pdf)
- Australian Government Factsheet: Job Keeper for Employees (pdf, updated 5 Apr)
- Australian Government Factsheet: Job Keeper for Employers (pdf, updated 5 Apr)
- Australian Banking Association summary of offers from 21 Banks with phone numbers and links to more financial hardship relief info
- Vincents: Federal Government Support Summary
- Vincents: Commercial Rental Support Brief
- Employment Hero: COVID-19 Employer Response Pack
- International student hotline: The Australian Government has provided a dedicated email and hotline for international students if you have further questions – [email protected] or call 1300 981 621 (8am to 8pm AEDST Mon-Fri – calls within Australia only)
- National Debt Helpline: If you are struggling to pay rent/mortgage or household bills – call the National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007. You can speak to a financial counsellor confidentially to discuss options, including applying for hardship with your bank/telcos/utility providers.
- Financial counselling: Care Financial Counselling has developed a Financial Counselling Program – call 1800 007 007 or email [email protected]
Multilingual Resources
- Federal Government: Translated COVID-19 resources
- ACT Government: COVID-19 website can be translated into 107 languages via Google Translate. When on the ACT Government COVID-19 website, click on the translation box at the top right-hand side of your browser if on a computer, choose the language, and it should auto-translate into the language chosen
- SBS Australia: COVID-19 video explanations and factsheets in 63 languages
- IDEAS: Easy English Coronavirus COVID-19 Resource for non-native English speakers
- The NDIS has published COVID-19 info in multiple languages, however, if you if you require any assistance to support people with a disability who are of a cultural and linguistically diverse background, please contact Feros Care’s CALD community development coordinator Tara Barrett on [email protected]
- Cenrelink has translated information and a Multilingual Phone Service. To speak with a skilled bilingual service officer, call 131 202, Mon-Fri, 8am-5pm
Food & Emergency Relief
- Canberra Relief Network (CRN): The aim of CRN is to support individuals who are not able to purchase items in the supermarket due to vulnerability. Migrants, refugees, and international students are eligible for this service. Eligible clients to contact the call centre on 1800 43 11 33 or 02 5104 9599 which is open Monday to Friday, 10am-2.30pm or go online at www.canberrarelief.com.au.
- Free Meal & Emergency Relief Services (pdf, updated 3 April): list updated weekly by Volunteering ACT
- Australia Post: Free Pharmacy Home Delivery Service for vulnerable community members that meet eligibility criteria
- Havelock Housing: Subsidised Meal Service (pdf) to residents, staff, and community members. These are ready-to-eat meals from $7.70, available Mondays, Wednesday, and Fridays from Havelock House
- Woolworths Basics Box: Provides essential products to customers who are currently unable to visit Woolworths stores – the elderly, people with a disability, those with compromised immunity and people in mandatory isolation. $80 including delivery
- Coles Community Box: Provides essential products to eligible customers. $80 including delivery.
Other resources
- New COVID-19 helpline for Canberrans: from 8am-8pm daily – 02 6207 7244 – call for health advice/referrals, ACT Government stimulus package advice, assistance for vulnerable and isolated persons, and any other general COVID-19 enquiries.
- ABC Podcast – Coronacast: How to get groceries without bringing home Coronavirus: An opportunity to listen to some practical advice from Dr Norman Swan.
- ACT Health Good Hygiene Poster (pdf)
- Australian Government’s Coronavirus Australia app: download fromGoogle Play StoreorApple Store
- Australian Government’s COVID-19 Whatsapp message service
- ACT Government: Multicultural Community Newsletter, 8 April 2020 (pdf)
ACT Legal Services
The Consumer Law Centre is a project of Care Inc. We provide free legal advice and representation in the areas of consumer credit (mortgages, credit cards and personal loans), debt recovery, banking, contract, general fair trading and consumer protection. Find out more about Consumer Law Centre services. Contact: 02 6143 0044 or [email protected].
Legal Aid ACT provides advice, assistance and representation in a range of areas including employment, tenancy, criminal and family law. Legal Aid can also provide advice and assistance to people needing to apply for Family Violence Orders and Personal Protection Orders. Legal Aid also operates the Older Person’s ACT Legal Service (OPALS). Contact: Legal Aid Helpline on 1300 654 314 or legalaidact.org.au.
Women’s Legal Centre provides legal assistance to women in the ACT and region who cannot afford a private lawyer and do not qualify for legal aid. Our main areas of practice are family law, domestic violence, victims of crime, employment and discrimination. Contact: 02 6257 4377.
Canberra Community Law (CCL) is providing legal advice, assistance and representation to people in the ACT on low incomes for matters relating to tenancy, public housing, social security and disability discrimination law, including issues related to COVID-19. CCL is also still providing services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities through the Dhurrawang Aboriginal Human Rights Program and through the Street Law program. Contact: 02 6218 7900.
ANU Students Association Legal Service provides free and confidential legal advice primarily to undergraduate ANU students and ANU student clubs and societies. The service is continuing to offer an uninterrupted service online. Contact [email protected].
Postgraduate and Research Student’s Association (PARSA) provides free and confidential legal and migration advice to postgraduate ANU students. PARSA, continue to offer uninterrupted service to students online during the COVID-19 crisis. Contact [email protected] or [email protected].
Advocacy Updates
- Participate in the campaign to extend wage support to all visa holders through the hashtags #NoWorkerLeftBehind #WageSubsidyForAll – social media images you can use in your posts from the Migrant Workers Centre is on Dropbox
- Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia (FECCA) statement on temporary visa holders left out of wage support payments
- Peak Student Bodies call for the Prime Minister to act for the betterment of International Students
- Council of International Students (CISA) COVID-19 Welfare Package Proposal
- TheRefugee Council of Australia have an online email templateto send to your local Federal MP to ensure refugees and people seeking asylum have the medical, social, and financial support they need during COVID-19, and afull list of priorities that need to be addressed.