The Queensland Community Alliance: help make a difference

The Queensland Teachers’ Union is a foundation member of the Queensland Community Alliance (QCA), which was created to provide an opportunity for unions, faith groups, ethnic and community associations to come together to build people-power on issues that we share in common.

The QCA was initially established back in 2013 and has steadily gone about building power in the community. It has achieved a number of outcomes so far in Logan, Ipswich and on the north side of Brisbane by bringing members from across a range of local groups and putting asks on the people in power at the local and state government levels.

The alliance is modelled on similar groups that have been established in the USA, UK and most recently in Sydney. But now the QCA will be trying to take the collective power of all organisations and participating members to the next level by holding a founding assembly on 20 August at Brisbane’s iconic City Hall.

The key objectives of the founding assembly are to:

• hold decision makers in government and the market accountable
• advance the common good
• give meaning to our democracy by helping citizens to take democratic action beyond the vote
• provide a forum for grassroots members of organisations to join together and influence decision makers.

Earlier this year, the QCA conducted a discernment assembly where a range of issues were distilled down, through a democratic process, to two to take forward to the assembly. These are:

• future of care: aged care, disability, and mental health
• employment and training.

Both of these issues resonated strongly with the QTU members who participated in the discernment process, and a number of members have volunteered their time to form part of research action teams in the lead up to the assembly.

Other QTU members have enquired whether the QCA is starting up in their part of the state. At this stage, it is based around the greater Brisbane area, but after the assembly we will be working with members to see if groups can be set up in some regions.

To make this a successful event at which more than 1,400 people will gather and put asks on the political leaders of our state, the QTU has committed to achieving a turnout of 70 members.

If you are interested in attending the Queensland Community Alliance Founding Assembly, please send your name, email address and preferred contact number to kla@qtu.asn.au and we’ll be in contact with more details about this exciting event.

Brendan Crotty                                                                                                                 Deputy General Secretary (Member Organising)

Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 122 No 5, 21 July 2017, p25