b'Standing up for whats right The Royal Commission also visited our Coburg service during its deliberations.In February 2021, CEO Bronwyn Pike and HeritageWe are proud to be involved in this important work.Service manager, Catriona Milne presented evidence at the Melbourne hearings for theFollowing the recommendations of the Royal Parliamentary Inquiry into Historical ForcedCommission, the 2021 budget saw the largest Adoptions in Victoria. mental health funding commitment by a They asked the Victorian Government to improveVictorian Government.support for reconnecting families separated by forced adoptions and access to historical recordsSharing consumer voices and information. They also advocated for betterOur consumers are crucial to everything we do. counselling and psychological support services As a consumer-led organisation, we connect with for those impacted by forced adoptions. people to create positive change. We value their The Inquirys recommendations will lead theperspectives, invite them to speak up, have their path to long-awaited reforms for individuals andvoices heard, and provide input into our advocacy. families impacted by historical forced adoptions. Because they are the people most affected byour work.Opposing unfair change We also invite them to identify issues and Every day, organisations like ours acrosssolutionsif theres a way we can do something Australia hear from those trapped in debt andbetter, we need to know.financial hardship due to irresponsible lending.Going forward, every aspect of our advocacyAdvocating for our communities, we contributedwill be forand byour consumers.to UnitingCare Australias submission to the Senate Standing Committee on Economic Inquiry into the National Consumer CreditMore about Unitings Advocacy Protection Amendment (Supporting Economic Recovery) Bill 2020. Uniting Vic.Tas also contributed to theSubmission to the Senate Standing Committees on Community Affairs into the Social Services Legislation Amendment (Strengthening Income Support) Bill 2021, urging the Federal Government to reconsider their proposed changes. While the government responded to sector pressure to increase income support payments by $50 a fortnight, $44 a day is still not enough to live. We will continue to advocate for a permanent increase in payments so people can afford the basics they need to work towards a brighter future.Improving mental healthWe were pleased to see the Victorian Government commit to implementing all 65 recommendations from the Royal Commission into Victorias Mental Health System report.Our General Manager of Alcohol and Other Drugs and Mental Health, Laurence Alvis, was quoted in one of the key recommendations on improving outcomes for people living with mental illness and substance use or addiction.Uniting Vic.Tas Annual Report 2020-2021 35'