Hello, I’m Rev Stu Cameron, CEO and Superintendent of Wesley Mission.
I speak to you today with a heart full of both concern and hope.
We are living in a time when the challenges we face as a society are profound. The world we live in feels divided – not only by extremism and political division, but by huge disparities in wealth and opportunity.
Financial stress in particular is pushing people to breaking point. The top 10% of Australians own nearly half the nation’s wealth, while nearly 13% live below the poverty line, and more than 1.2 million Australian children live in households where there isn’t enough to eat.
What sort of country do we aspire to be? One where wealth and privilege define worth? Or one where compassion and community lift us all?
I believe that right now, it’s essential for us to remember a foundational value that has long been the heart of our nation and our communities.
We believe in a fair go.
We’re committed to equality of opportunity – to the idea that everyone, regardless of their background, should have the opportunity to live with dignity and purpose.
We aspire to a society where prosperity is not the privilege of a few but a shared blessing that benefits us all.
Yet, the reality is that too many Australians are struggling to put food on the table, while the wealthiest among us accumulate more and more.
This is a crisis – not just of economics, but of our very identity as a nation and the core fabric of our communities.
The Christmas story challenges us to address this crisis. More than 2,000 years ago, Jesus was born into a world marked by poverty, political tension and social division – a world not so unlike our own. People longed for freedom, hope and a better tomorrow, just as we do today.
His life challenged the status quo in unforeseen ways. Contrary to the expectations of the majority, this Saviour did not display his power through wealth or influence. Rather, he changed the world with a message of radical compassion and love that included everyone and shone a special light of dignity on the marginalised and forgotten.
We must all learn from his example.
With courage and compassion, we must renew our commitment to a fair society where shared prosperity and social connectedness create stronger bonds between people and stronger communities.
We must be intentional and sacrificial in lifting up those who are struggling and in sharing the blessings we’ve been given with those who have less.
This is not just a call to people in positions of power and influence – although it is that, because we do need wide systemic change. It is a call to us all.
To remember that we are brothers and sisters, made in the image of a loving Creator.
To act boldly on our morals, which call us to love our neighbours as ourselves, and to seek justice for the oppressed and the vulnerable.
To stand together and rebuild the sense of being ‘in it together’ that has been a bedrock of our identity as Australians and the society we build together.
We can make 2025 a year of reconciliation, renewal and hope.
May the peace of Christ fill your heart this season and always, and may His light guide us as we work towards a fairer and more compassionate world in the year ahead.
I wish you and your loved ones a joyful and meaningful Christmas.
God bless you.
Rev Stu Cameron is available for interview
Media contact for interviews:
Anne Holt on 0418 628 342 or anne.holt@wesleymission.org.au