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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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26 March 2025 Learn more
Media release

People in poverty left high and dry in Federal cash splash

“This budget, with its modest tax cut of $10 a week, has cash for everyone except those with the least” said ACTCOSS CEO Dr Devin Bowles. “It is shocking that in the face of a cost-of-living crisis, there were no moves to lift Canberrans out of deep poverty by fixing JobSeeker and other income support […]

9 January 2024 Learn more
Editorial

How long can the climate safety net hold?

The golden period between Christmas and New Year’s Day has traditionally been a time when Australians relaxed and recharged for the year ahead.  As climate change worsens, this period of respite will be viewed differently by today’s children, who will come to associate it with predictably unpredictable extreme weather events.  This year, many in Queensland were […]

29 November 2022 Learn more
Media release

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 […]

7 September 2022 Learn more
Media release

ACTCOSS supports the Right to a Healthy Environment for all ACT citizens

The ACT Council of Social Service (ACTCOSS) has supported a proposal to introduce the Right to a Healthy Environment under the ACT’s suite of human rights protections, but has called on the ACT Government to enact all Economic, Social and Cultural Rights including a Right to Housing. In its submission to the ACT Government, ACTCOSS […]

5 September 2022 Learn more
Media release

Free and ongoing access to period products for everyone who menstruates in the ACT

The ACT Council of Social Service (ACTCOSS) has provided a submission to the Inquiry into the Period Products and Facilities (Access) Bill 2022. This welcome Bill addresses period poverty and the stigma associated with periods in the ACT. ACTCOSS is supportive of the introduction of this Bill as a means to address period poverty and […]

14 July 2022 Learn more
Media release

Pandemic support for vulnerable citizens must continue ahead of winter COVID wave

Media Release The ACT Council of Social Service (ACTCOSS) has today called on the Australian Government to continue to provide free Rapid Antigen Tests to concession card holders beyond 31 July when the program is due to expire. This follows the Australian Council of Social Service’s statement that a cut to free RATs for concession […]

27 June 2022 Learn more
Media release

End of ACT Equity to Access COVID-19 vaccination program

Media Release The ACT Council of Social service (ACTCOSS) has commended the ACT Government for its work and partnership with the community sector to deliver the ACT Equity to Access COVID-19 vaccination program. The ACT Equity to Access program, which ends on 30 June, helped people get vaccinated who faced high COVID-19 health risks and/or […]

9 June 2022 Learn more
Media release

Community sector welcomes government commitment to drug law reform

Joint media release by ACTCOSS, CAHMA and ATODA The ACT Council of Social Service (ACTCOSS), the Canberra Alliance for Harm Minimisation & Advocacy (CAHMA), and the Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug Association ACT (ATODA) today welcomed the ACT Government’s commitment to progressing legislation decriminalising small amounts of illicit drugs. ACTCOSS, CAHMA and ATODA support today’s […]