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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ACT Budget – treading water
The ACT Council of Social Service (ACTCOSS) has welcomed funding in today’s ACT Budget for housing, health and the ACT community sector but said more is needed to support Canberrans struggling as the cost of living skyrockets. The Budget, described by Chief Minister and Treasurer Andrew Barr MLA as “delivering for Canberrans now and into […]
Gulanga Media Release: ACT Budget – more community control needed
The ACT Council of Social Service’s Gulanga Program said that today’s ACT Budget responded to some of the calls from the ACT’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, but much more is needed to be done to improve outcomes for First Nations peoples in the ACT. The 2022-23 ACT Budget, delivered by the Chief […]
ACTCOSS calls for significant investment in community services, cost of living, Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations
The ACT Council of Social Service (ACTCOSS) is calling for significant investment in community services, cost of living relief and Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations ahead of the release of the 2022-23 ACT Budget tomorrow. ACTCOSS CEO, Dr Emma Campbell said: “Cost of living pressures are continuing to increase in the ACT and more people are […]
‘Desperately needed’ housing investment welcomed
The ACT Council of Social Service (ACTCOSS) has today welcomed a $30 million investment to deliver promised public housing and $57.3 million to undertake public housing repairs. These investments are part of a package announced by the ACT Government in the lead up to the ACT budget on 2 August, comprising: $30 million investment to […]
ACTCOSS welcomes funding for alcohol and other drug treatment services
The ACT Council of Social Service (ACTCOSS) today welcomed the announcement by the ACT Government that the 2022-23 Budget will include more than $13 million in additional supports for alcohol and other drug (AOD) treatment services in the Territory. Significant investments will go toward the continued development of an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander residential […]
Inquiry into Community Corrections Report ‘Missed Opportunity’
The ACT Council of Social Service (ACTCOSS) today welcomed the release of the ACT Legislative Assembly Inquiry into Community Corrections report but called it a ‘missed opportunity’ to bring meaningful change to the ACT’s justice system. In June 2021, the ACT Legislative Assembly Standing Committee on Justice and Community Safety initiated an inquiry into the […]
Housing ACT must be held to the same standard as private landlords
ACTCOSS today expressed its concern over proposed legislation that will weaken protections against eviction for Housing ACT tenants. The ACT Attorney General, Shane Rattenbury MLA, today released the draft Residential Tenancies Legislation Amendment Bill 2022 aimed at increasing protections for tenants living in privately owned rental properties by removing the ‘without cause’ tenancy termination provision. […]
Commitment to continue funding for key community services welcomed
Media Release The ACT Council of Social Service (ACTCOSS) has welcomed today’s announcement to continue funding for key community sector services, but calls on the ACT Government to deliver major investments in supports for vulnerable Canberrans in the forthcoming ACT Budget. Today’s announcement of support for the ACT community sector includes: Funding to continue specialist […]