It’s Anti-Poverty Week from 11 to 17 October and we want to try and make sure that charities are not the only voices in conversations about poverty and welfare this week. Check out the information below about events and other work we’re doing so you can get involved.

13 October: Anti-Poverty Week 2026 online event

We’re organising an Anti-Poverty Week event with the Central Land Council and Single Mother Families Australia to discuss issues affecting people in poverty that aren’t making the media and what action you can take to assert your rights or help others. The Antipoverty Centre will be launching our new rights guide to help protect people on Centrelink payments who are forced to use (un)employment services from unfair penalties.

You can sign up to attend online, it’s free of course! RSVP: https://events.humanitix.com/compounding-poverty

14 October: Stop the Bill Shock protest against energy company price gouging

The Stop the Bill Shock campaign is organising a protest in Warrane/Sydney against skyrocketing energy debt, which disproportionately harms people in poverty and is driven by price gouging from energy companies. The number of people on a hardship plan doubled over 5 years, while the two biggest energy companies saw their profits increase by billions. You can find more info in our recent energy debt report.

Join us at the Origin Energy AGM protest to call for energy debt to be wiped: https://volunteer.swelteringcities.org/originagmaction_20261014

27 October: Australian Unemployed Workers’ Union protest

The AUWU is organising a protest at the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations offices in Naarm/Melbourne to oppose the Albanese Labor government’s decision to reintroduce payment cancellation penalties that were paused when they were discovered to be operating unlawfully in 2024. This will lead to 10s of 1000s of people having their Centrelink payment cancelled each year, regardless of whether or not they still need income support. The government has not proven any part of the system is operating lawfully, including payment suspension penalties. All compulsory activities should be immediately ended and programs made voluntary, but instead they’re just… bringing back more punishments.

RSVP or get in touch with the organisers via the event page: https://events.humanitix.com/fight-the-fine

Contribute to our work on the Parent Pathways program

Parent Pathways is a voluntary program for people who want help finding work who have children under 6 years old. The Antipoverty Centre has been involved in the design of the program since its predecessor ParentsNext was abolished and now participates in the advisory group that provides ongoing input on Parent Pathways. To inform this work we are keen to hear from you or anyone you know about experiences with the program, good or bad. We are also interested in hearing from people who are eligible but who have decided they don’t need or want to use it. We want to provide an avenue for ongoing input from parents into the design and operation of this program.

Get in touch to talk with us about your views on Parent Pathways: team@antipovertycentre.org

Parents for Climate renter survey

We are supporting the Parents for Climate renter project. They are currently seeking input from renters including information about your energy bills costs and housing quality to push for improvements to living standards and protection from rent increases. There are some questions just for parents but the survey is for everyone, regardless of family situation.

Do the survey: https://www.parentsforclimate.org/renting_families_survey_2026

Tell us what you think of the Queensland mega data centre

A massive data centre project is expected to double household energy consumption in Queensland. Data centres are presenting energy companies with another opportunity to make big profits while the rest of us pay more than we can bear for this essential service. As energy demand increases, so too will the justification to increase prices. The Antipoverty Centre opposes AI data centre construction on ethical grounds, as well as the material impact on electricity and water costs that will make our communities worse off. If you live in Queensland we want to know your thoughts or concerns about this project, especially if you are struggling with energy bills.

Email us via billshock@antipovertycentre.org

Do the “mutual” obligations survey

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to the survey so far, and informed our recent (un)employment services submission. As part of our ongoing work to end compulsory activity requirements for people on Centrelink payments, we’re asking for input from welfare recipients via a survey about your views and experiences in (un)employment services. We want to include meaningful input from people who are being hurt and sidelined by the government’s approach to reforming Workforce Australia, and identify patterns of unfair and unlawful job agency behaviour.

Do the survey or share this link: https://bit.ly/MOs2026survey

Get help

As always if you’re having trouble with your job agency and need a hand email help@welfarecopwatch.org and we can assist you with any issues and even if you’d like to FOI your personal data from the Department of Employment or Services Australia.

If you are unfair treatment from a community housing landlord you can reach out to us for information and support via tenant.help@antipovertycentre.org

For assistance seeking relief from energy debt or to share information about dodgy behaviour or unaffordable energy bills, get in touch via billshock@antipovertycentre.org