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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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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]