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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Review of ACT Prison Reveals Serious Concerns
The ACT Council of Social Service (ACTCOSS) has said that the 2022 Healthy Prison Review has highlighted serious issues with Canberra’s prison, including inadequate access to education and activities, major gaps in the provision of basic healthcare, inadequate infrastructure and inappropriate services for women The report, tabled today in the ACT Legislative Assembly by […]
ACT Planning Bill must prioritise Canberra’s most vulnerable
The ACT Council of Social Service (ACTCOSS) said today that the ACT Government must make stronger commitments to social and affordable housing, consultation with marginalised communities and delivering community infrastructure and amenities in its planning reform. In its submission to the ACT Legislative Assembly’s Inquiry into the Planning Bill 2022, ACTCOSS called on the ACT […]
ACTCOSS Welcomes Inclusion of Affordable Rentals in Build-to-Rent Scheme
The ACT Council of Social Service (ACTCOSS) has today welcomed the ACT Government’s announcement requiring the inclusion of affordable rental properties in existing or planned Build-to-Rent proposals and developments in the ACT. The ACT’s housing crisis has left a serious lack of affordable options for low-income Canberran households simultaneously struggling with cost of living stresses. […]
ACTCOSS welcomes new minimum energy efficiency standards for rentals
The ACT Council of Social Service (ACTCOSS) has today welcomed the announcement of a new minimum energy standard for rental properties in the ACT. The new regulation will require landlords to have a minimum standard of ceiling insulation from April 2023 with a phase in period to November 2026. ACTCOSS CEO, Dr Emma Campbell: “Over […]
ACT Government must #RaisetheAge to 14 without carve outs or exceptions
The ACT Council of Social Service (ACTCOSS) has today cautiously welcomed a commitment to increase to the age of criminal responsibility to 12, and then to 14 within two years, through a staged response to allow for the implementation of service reforms. However, ACTCOSS expressed significant concern at the Government’s decision to include carve outs […]
Dr Emma Campbell to step down as ACTCOSS CEO
The ACT Council of Social Service (ACTCOSS) has today paid tribute to ACTCOSS’s CEO Dr Emma Campbell following her decision to step down from the role at the end of January 2023. ACTCOSS Chair Jeremy Halcrow said: “Emma joined ACTCOSS in January 2020 and under her leadership ACTCOSS has strengthened the organisation’s role as the […]
ACT Government commits to delivering accessible human rights complaints mechanism
Joint Media Release Human rights lawyers and social advocates have applauded the ACT Government’s commitment to immediately commence the process of legislating for an accessible complaints mechanism within the Human Rights Act 2004, giving Canberrans whose human rights are breached the ability to bring a complaint to the ACT Human Rights Commission for confidential conciliation. […]
Recognising Carers during National Carers Week
ACTCOSS is celebrating National Carers Week (16-22 October), a time to recognise the carers in our community and raise awareness for the impact and importance of caring. The theme of Carers Week 2022 is ‘Millions of Reasons to Care’ and points to the need for the community to come together in support of the incredible […]