Anglicare Sydney has expressed disappointment at both the government and opposition for lacking a coherent vision for Australia's disadvantaged.
The Diocese's social welfare arm has undertaken a survey of the election promises of the two major parties over the last six weeks and identified policy gaps and areas which it believes neither party has addressed.
Anglicare Sydney's CEO Peter Kell says there is currently no long-term preventative or integrated strategy to address the causal issues behind disadvantage in Australia.
He says current policies do not address all the ways disadvantage expresses itself across the many aspects of life for those on the margins such as housing, disability, physical and mental health and food security.
"Commitments have been made to help address homelessness for example, but little to target the causes of homelessness," Mr Kell says.
"Answers must go much further than providing more crisis accommodation or simply saying a healthy economy is what's needed to tackle the issue, because there are many, who for whatever reason " mental health, illness, disability, and domestic violence " simply cannot participate in our economy on a level playing field."
Mr Kell also believes there is little commitment to overcoming the jurisdictional barriers between state and federal governments in supporting young people with disabilities and those that care for them.
"Some disabled young people are living in aged care facilities, or are not supported when they transition from school," he says.
"Refugees are another area where both parties need to make serious, long-term commitments to address the issues around welcoming refugees and helping them to settle into Australian society."
Mr Kell wants to see both major parties cast a "bold vision' to address disadvantage in Australia.
"The start of this election campaign coincided with Anti-Poverty Week. Anglicare then was calling for the major parties to commit to a national anti-poverty strategy to address the needs of those who have been left behind despite the prosperity Australia has experienced over the last decade," he says.
"A national anti-poverty strategy would include clear targets and timeframes, integrating policies on employment, incomes, skills, social development and access to health and community services.
Mr Kell says Australia has never been a better for ensuring no one is left behind in Australia.
"We have the resources to do it, all that is lacking is the political commitment. Whoever wins the election on Saturday, Anglicare will work with them to ensure that no one is left out or missing out in Australia."
