Photo by Natashya Fernandez.

The 2017-2018 Social Justice Statement – Everyone’s Business: Developing an Inclusive and Sustainable Economy, was launched by the Justice Ecology and Development Office (JEDO) on 21 September.

The morning began with a Welcome to Country by local Aboriginal Elder Aunty Marie Taylor from the Whadjuk Noongar tribe, after which the Statement was officially launched by Bishop Don Sproxton.

Speakers on the day included Damien Walsh, Director of The Shopfront; Vicky Burrows, Director of the Aboriginal Catholic Ministry (ACM); Cheryl Lennox-Bradley, ACM Council Member, and Nigel Hayward, Director of Catholic Earthcare Australia, who spoke about how they work within their organisations to respond to the needs of those in the community.

The Most Rev. Vincent Long Van Nguyen explained in his Chairman’s message about how the Statement is inspired by the teachings of Jesus, and the vision of Pope Francis, “the most vulnerable and excluded are the ones who need to take first place in our hearts and in our actions as individuals and as a society.”

It is with this in mind that Bishop Sproxton highlighted five key points for us to consider and use to guide our work towards developing an inclusive and sustainable economy:

1. People and nature are not mere tools of production
2. Economic growth alone cannot ensure inclusive and sustainable development
3. Social equity must be built into the heart of the economy
4. Businesses must benefit all society, not just shareholders
5. The excluded and vulnerable must be included in decision-making

For more information about the Statement and to download resources, visit the website (http://www.socialjustice.catholic.org.au/publications/social-justice-statements).

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