News and Media
Here you’ll find news, announcements, and media releases from ACTCOSS and the Gulanga Program, along with major community sector news.
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ACTCOSS Welcomes Next Steps For Our Kids
ACTCOSS today welcomed the release of the Next Steps for Our Kids Strategy 2022-2030 [pdf], the ACT Government’s strategy to strengthen and support families. The strategy aims to build a restorative, therapeutic and trauma-informed child protection system that is also transparent, accessible and accountable. ACTCOSS also acknowledged the strategy’s prioritising of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait […]
Urgent reform needed to tackle social harm from pokies
In a submission to the ACT Government today, the ACT Council of Social Service (ACTCOSS) has expressed its support for the ACT government’s proposed changes to reduce gambling harm caused by the ACT’s Electronic Gaming Machines (EGMs) or pokies. ACTCOSS’s submission was in response to the Justice and Community Safety Directorate’s Discussion paper – ‘Lowering […]
ACTCOSS welcomes ACT Discrimination Law Reform
The ACT Council of Social Service (ACTCOSS) has welcomed today’s tabling of the ACT Discrimination Amendment Bill 2022 that aims to bring discrimination law in line with the Human Rights Act and strengthen responses to discrimination. ACTCOSS CEO, Dr Emma Campbell said: “ACTCOSS welcomes the expansion of the Discrimination Act to cover all areas of […]
Community, business and housing leaders call on ACT Government to address housing crisis in next Budget
Joint media release, ACTCOSS, Canberra Business Chamber, Property Council ACT, ACT Shelter and the Community Housing Industry Association (CHIA). Leaders of Canberra’s community, housing and business sectors have today called on the ACT Government to address the ACT’s housing crisis and commit to further action in the 2022-23 ACT Budget. In recent weeks, the ACT […]
Canberrans on low incomes hit hardest by cost of living rises as income supports removed
Canberrans living on low incomes are being hit hardest by the biggest increase in cost of living in over 20 years. Far from sharing in an economic and community recovery, more people are seeking support from ACT community sector organisations due to the rising cost of living and declining income support. These are among the […]
ACTCOSS announces Policy Priorities for 2022 Federal Election
The ACT Council of Social Service (ACTCOSS) has called on all parties in the upcoming federal election to commit to a fairer Canberra by backing policies that support those who have the least. Using national analysis and ACT-focused research, ACTCOSS has identified six policy priorities that will give a fair go to people on low […]
ACTCOSS renews its call for cost-benefit analysis on free public transport in the ACT
ACTCOSS’s call follows a motion introduced in the Legislative Assembly today by Mark Parton MLA calling for bus travel to be made free in the ACT for six weeks. A similar scheme has been implemented in Tasmania until the end of April to help with rising fuel prices and to ease congestion. ACTCOSS CEO Dr […]
Barr Government commits to review of housing relocation program
The ACT Council of Social Service (ACTCOSS) today congratulated the Barr Government on its commitment to review the implementation of the Growing and Renewing housing program. At a meeting with ACTCOSS on Friday, Minister for Housing Yvette Berry MLA and Minister for Homelessness and Housing Services, Rebecca Vassarotti MLA agreed to review the process by […]