Nobody Left Behind
Mayors and Local Councils across Australia are working to ensure that nobody is left behind.
MAYORAL DECLARATION
We, Mayors from across Australia, acknowledge that COVID-19 does not discriminate, and represents a significant threat to individuals and the cohesion and prosperity of our communities.
Similarly, we do not discriminate and recognise the value and contribution of all people to social, cultural, economic and civic life.
We appreciate the steps already made to create a safety net and support for charities, businesses, families and workers to ensure that we can navigate and eventually recover from this unprecedented crisis.
It’s vital that we support all the people in our communities, and further measures are required to leave no worker behind. We commit to providing support to workers currently without a safety net.
We pledge to identify how our Councils can address and advance the following priorities.
1. We commit to offering financial assistance to workers in our council area currently without a safety net by:
- Distributing funds and/or vouchers directly to individuals experiencing hardship; or,
- Providing resiliency, hardship and community grants for community organisations providing support to people affected by COVID-19; or,
- Partnering with local organisations to increase their capacity to support vulnerable people
- Redeploying council staff to assist community organisations in delivering support to vulnerable people; or,
- Providing job-matching, resume and employment assistance to people who have lost work due to COVID-19; or,
- Providing essential services, such as grocery deliveries, care packages, medicine collection etc.
We call on other tiers of government and the private sector to:
1. Extend current COVID-19 support measures to workers left without a safety net.
2. Provide financial and/or in-kind support to all workers affected by COVID-19.
Migrant workers, refugees, people seeking asylum and international students are part of the heartbeat of our local communities. Our neighbourhoods are enriched by their contributions, both culturally and economically.
About the Declaration
More than 2 million people in Australia, including people seeking asylum, international students, and workers on temporary visas, are not eligible for current JobKeeper and JobSeeker COVID-19 support measures. Community organisations and support agencies are struggling to meet the overwhelming number of requests and need for emergency food and financial support
Local Councils are developing various responses and providing a range of support measures for the most vulnerable members of our communities. To date, responses include: community grants, technology access and subsidies, and direct support to NGO’s to provide emergency supplies.
Welcoming Australia, through the Welcoming Cities initiative, are convening Local Councils on a weekly basis to discuss learnings, opportunities and responses.
Welcoming Australia and Democracy in Colour are working to share and celebrate the good news stories and acts of generosity in the midst of this crisis, and promote and grow the commitment of Local Councils to ensuring that nobody is left behind.
Not a Mayor or Councillor, but want to add your support to this campaign?
You can:
1. Add your voice to Democracy in Colour's petition calling for a wage subsidy for all, including migrant workers
2. Add your voice to this call from Welcoming Australia ensuring refugees and people seeking asylum are not made more vulnerable during the COVID-19 health crisis
Join our mailing list by adding your details below and we'll keep you updated on the work of Democracy in Colour, Welcoming Australia and the wider #NobodyLeftBehind campaign.
