News and Media
Here you’ll find news, announcements, and media releases from ACTCOSS and the Gulanga Program, along with major community sector news.
News Filters
Everyone is getting more ambitious when it comes to housing. Except one party
In the midst of a housing crisis, a focus of policy debate has been “location, location, location.” It is important that this does not distract from the main objective of ensuring everyone has safe, affordable housing, and that means rapidly expanding the stock of social housing. It is a numbers game. This is especially important […]
2024 ACT Election Candidate Forum
On Thursday, September 12th, ACTCOSS hosted over 50 Community Sector Organisation members and 10 Candidates at our 2024 ACT Election Candidate Forum. Facilitated by ACTCOSS CEO, Dr Devin Bowles, the event kicked off with Candidate pitches. Each Candidate had 3-minutes to share their perspectives on Housing and Homelessness, Cost of Living, a Thriving and Sustainable […]
Breaking point: financial stress of ongoing cost-of-living crisis hitting low-income Canberrans hardest
ACTCOSS’s latest ACT Cost of Living Report reveals persistently high inflation and high interest rates are exacting a devastating toll on low-income households and adding to demand for community sector services across the ACT. ACTCOSS CEO, Dr Devin Bowles said: “The ongoing cost-of-living crisis has extended the reach of financial stress to more and more […]
Joint Media Release: Once-in-a-generation leadership needed to tackle the ACT’s housing & homelessness problem
ACTCOSS and ACT Shelter have today launched their shared housing and homelessness election platform, which calls on all political parties and candidates in the upcoming ACT Election to commit to transformational investment in social housing. Amidst a housing crisis fuelling cost-of-living pressures, ACTCOSS and ACT Shelter warned of a deepening housing divide and growing homelessness […]
ACTforCommunity!
On July 30, in collaboration with the ACT Community Sector Peaks, ACTCOSS launched the ACTforCommunity Campaign! More than 70 community sector employees and volunteers gathered outside of ATODA and ACT Shelter to show their support for the campaign. Image Description: ACTCOSS CEO, Dr Devin Bowles, stands at a lecturn outside of ATODA and ACT Shelter. […]
Over 50 community organisations ask Canberrans to ACTforCommunity this election – Campaign Launch
The ACTforCommunity campaign launch is being held on Tuesday 30 July at 10am at a building typical of many community sector workplaces across the ACT. This is to highlight the need for more investment in the community sector and community service facilities. “The ACT Council of Social Services (ACTCOSS), the ACT Community Sector Peak bodies […]
Let’s tear down this housing policy and completely rebuild
For an alarming proportion of Canberrans, securing and keeping appropriate housing is a struggle that is too often unsuccessful. A quarter of a century ago, young adults worried about whether they could afford to buy a house, but for many that concern is now about whether they can afford to rent an apartment. A growing number […]
Full range of human rights need to be enacted by ACT Government
The ACT Council of Social Service (ACTCOSS) has welcomed the ACT Government’s commitment to introduce a right to a healthy environment in the Human Rights Act 2004 but has called on the ACT Government to enact all Economic, Social and Cultural Rights including a right to housing. Minister for Human Rights, Tara Cheyne MLA […]