Waiting for word on social inclusion

His predecessor, Tanya Plibersek, twice last year asked the Social Inclusion Board to advise her on how to articulate the government's agenda on the issue.

A report of the board's meeting in June last year says that Ms Plibersek wanted advice on -
*    "what the concept of social inclusion is,
*    what the underlying values are; and
*    what it means to the community".

When asked to explain the concept on his first day in the job, Mr Butler said it "means different things to different people". But to him it was about removing the siloed approach to delivering government services.

The nine-member board was set up in 2008 and provides advice to the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.

It is -
*    chaired by former Victorian Department of Human Services chief Patricia Faulkner, and
*    includes St Vincent de Paul chief John Falzon and Brotherhood of St Laurence boss Tony Nicholson.

It has produced three research reports looking at barriers facing -
*    jobless families,
*    employment services; and
*    poverty and low-income indicators.

It says about 5 per cent of Australians experience multiple disadvantages affecting their ability to participate fully in society.

This entrenched disadvantage "costs the economy through lower workforce participation, preventable health problems, long-term welfare dependence and increased rates of crime, distrust and social isolation".

Catholic Health Australia chief executive Martin Laverty said social inclusion was about making sure that all Australians were properly educated, trained, housed and working.

Research by the National Centre for Social and Economic Modelling had found "whether you finish Year 12 directly determines whether you will die prematurely", he said.

Mr Laverty welcomed the inclusion of the portfolio in cabinet, but said three years after the board was set up there needed to be some tangible outcomes.