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MacKILLOP FAMILY SERVICES BILL
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7 October 1998
Second Reading
KNOWLES
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MacKILLOP FAMILY SERVICES BILL Second reading Hon. R. I. KNOWLES (Minister for Health) -- I move: That this bill be now read a second time. A new Catholic child, youth and family services organisation, MacKillop Family Services, came into existence in July 1997. MacKillop Family Services Ltd was incorporated under the Corporations Law of Victoria on 28 April 1997. MacKillop Family Services is a shared ministry of three Catholic congregations -- the Christian Brothers, the Sisters of Mercy and the Sisters of St Joseph. Included in the new organisation are: Christian Brothers Child, Youth and Family Services (incorporating St Augustine's Family and Adolescent Services, Geelong; St Joseph's Homes for Children, Flemington; St Vincent's Boys Home, South Melbourne); Mercy Family Care Centre, North Geelong; St Vincent de Paul Child and Family Services, Black Rock; and St Anthony's Family Services, Footscray; St Joseph's Babies and Family Services, Glenroy. The movement towards amalgamation was prompted by the mutual conviction of the three religious congregations that: the biblical idea of justice continually challenges Christians to respond to the poor and those in need; the congregations should respond to the needs of the poor and disadvantaged with renewed energy, informed and strengthened by good research, policy development and advocacy; and the church, in the Catholic tradition, should continue to be a disturbing, prophetic voice in today's society. MacKillop Family Services continues the traditions and further develops the work of the seven agencies. MacKillop is a significant community services organisation in Victoria, with an expenditure budget of more than $12 million in the current financial year. It has a client base exceeding 2000 and has 300 professional and support staff assisted by hundreds of volunteers. The agencies have had a long history of service to children, young people and families throughout the Victorian community. Over the years there have been a number of changes of auspice and location. Significant changes in service provision have also taken place. Melbourne's first Catholic orphanage, the St Vincent de Paul orphanage, was established in 1855. It remains on its original South Melbourne site although significantly changed from its former large congregate care campus. St Vincent de Paul Child and Family Service (Black Rock) is directly descended from the St Vincent de Paul orphanage. In 1861 the Sisters of Mercy established a separate girls orphanage on an adjoining block of land. In 1966 the sisters transferred to Black Rock and developed group homes and other services. The Geelong Catholic orphanage of St Augustine's was founded in 1857.
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It moved to Highton in 1939 and to its current location in Whittington in 1988. The Sisters of Mercy established an orphanage in Geelong in 1862. It moved to Newtown in 1884 and later became known as St Catherine's. In 1928 it moved to Highton and in 1975 was relocated to its present site at North Geelong and named Mercy Family Care to reflect changes to its model of working. St Joseph's Babies and Family Services (Glenroy) is derived from the Broadmeadows foundling home established by the Sisters of St Joseph in 1901. It relocated to Glenroy in 1975 with the change from institutional care to foster care and family support services. St Anthony's Home for Children in Kew was established by the Sisters of St Joseph in 1922 to look after toddlers from the foundling home in Broadmeadows. The orphanage at Kew closed in 1976 and St Anthony's commenced a new community-based, family-centred program in the western suburbs, where it continues to operate from its base in Footscray. This long history of change in auspices, locations and service models has led to possible problems in establishing connections between those differently located, differently named institutions and the work currently being conducted by MacKillop. This legislation will effectively establish that all bequests, donations and trusts which were previously to be applied to a congregation or its agencies shall now be applied to MacKillop. Trustees and others will be satisfied that MacKillop Family Services Ltd is properly carrying out the charitable works previously conducted by the Christian Brothers, the Josephites and the Sisters of Mercy at various locations over many years. The purposes of this bill are: to provide for the vesting in MacKillop of certain property given for charitable purposes to the Christian Brothers, the Sisters of Mercy, the Sisters of St Joseph and certain agencies in connection with those services; to provide that certain gifts and trusts for charitable purposes do not fail but have effect as if made or declared to or in favour of MacKillop; and to enable MacKillop to establish investment pools for the collective investment of trust funds for charitable purposes. Under the governance of the three religious congregations the new organisation is providing a greater flexibility and range of services, ongoing research and more powerful advocacy for disadvantaged children, young people and their families. I commend the bill to the house. Debate adjourned on motion of Hon. M. M. GOULD (Doutta Galla). Debate adjourned until next day.