While social inclusion is a whole-of-government agenda, specific portfolio responsibilities are with:

• The Hon Kevin Rudd - Prime Minister of Australia;
• The Hon Julia Gillard MP - Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Social Inclusion; and
  
• Senator the Hon Ursula Stephens - Parliamentary Secretary for Social Inclusion and the Voluntary Sector.

To progress the social inclusion agenda, the Rudd government has established:

• a Social Inclusion Unit in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet; and
  
• the Australian Social Inclusion Board

Social Inclusion areas are also now established in other departments. Government departments and agencies are already actively working to develop and deliver programs that are responsive to the needs of jobless families, children at risk and within deeply disadvantaged communities.

Information on a range of programs that address these social inclusion priorities is provided on the Australian Government Initiatives page.

A Not-for-Profit sector Community Response Task Force was recently established by the Deputy Prime Minister to provide advice on the government’s response to the economic downturn.