Resisting the Reframing of Poverty as Welfare Dependency: An Examination of the Australian Council of Social Service's Advocacy Strategies During the Howard Government Years 1996–2007

During the long period of Labor Party Government from 1983 to 1996, the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) arguably became one of the most effective policy advocacy groups in Australia. But the election of the Howard-led Coalition Government in 1996 presented new challenges including the management of ideological discord with the Coalition and rebuffing active attempts by the government to exclude social justice advocates from political influence. This paper examines the strategies used by ACOSS to retain their impact on social welfare policy debates and particularly to resist the Coalition's attempt to reframe financial poverty as solely the outcome of individual behaviour via the use of the term “welfare dependency”. Particular attention is focused on ACOSS's response to the McClure welfare review and also their campaign to reform the contentious welfare breaches system. Some conclusions are drawn about the effectiveness and limitations of their policy interventions.