Queensland Community Alliance Convention Unites Hundreds to Shape the State's Social Agenda

On 22nd October 2025, Queenslanders from faith communities, unions, multicultural associations and neighbourhood organisations filled St John’s Cathedral last night for the Queensland Community Alliance (QCA) Convention 2025, an inspiring evening of storytelling, solidarity and statewide action.

The convention opened with a moving Acknowledgement of Country from Saibai Elder Aunty Dr Rose Elu, 2021 Queensland Senior Australian of the Year, recognised for her decades of advocacy for Torres Strait Islander communities and the climate.

Co-chairs Ana Ebrahimi (Rail, Tram and Bus Union), Faysel Ahmed Selat (Queensland African Communities Council) and Rev Erin Mawhinney (West End Uniting Church) guided participants through an agenda that celebrated major community victories and set clear next steps toward 2026.

Key Achievements Celebrated
● Social Prescribing: $21.9 million secured for neighbourhood centres to employ “link workers” helping isolated Queenslanders reconnect through local support networks.
● Bindi Bindi Place, Zillmere: Progress toward a $4 million early-intervention centre for families at risk of entering the child-protection system, with $1.2 million annual funding sought from 2026.
● Workers’ Rights: More than 2,800 migrant and refugee workers supported through education workshops, with 72 community champions trained across Queensland.
● Climate and Energy: Federal wins of $500 million for social-housing energy upgrades and $2.3 billion for the Cheaper Home Batteries Program, achieved through the Alliance’s national “Renew Australia for All” campaign.

Co-chair Faysel Ahmed Selat (Queensland African Communities Council) and others throughout the evening, shared powerful stories of community resilience.“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together,”

Challenges for the new year
Crystal Faulknau, Head of the NQCC relayed her experience with Cyclone Kirrily and her concerns for the coming cyclone season in the coming months. “During last January’s heatwave in Townsville, Cyclone Kirrily knocked out our power, and within minutes the stifling heat filled our home. For three nights we were without electricity. Each night, I thought back to the stories I had heard at table talks in Townsville. Of families living in tents due to the housing shortage, with no reprieve from the elements... and others who’d had their power cut off because they were unable to pay the bill.”

Looking Ahead
In its final session, the Alliance announced plans for 30 local listening actions across the state in 2026, where communities will gather around kitchen tables to identify pressures such as cost of living, loneliness, and climate impacts, shaping the next chapter of the Alliance’s agenda.“When Queenslanders
from every background come together, we can win practical, lasting change,” said Emma Beach, Executive Officer of the Catholic Justice and Peace Commission.
The Queensland Community Alliance represents more than 1.7 million Queenslanders through over 35 member organisations. Together, they work for a fairer, more connected and resilient state.

Media Contact:
Nicholas O’Connor National Communications Director 0408540721

nicholas@iafpacific.org www.qldcommunityalliance.org