Media release
The ACT community sector today expressed disappointment in the ACT Government’s ACT Jobs and Economic Recovery Plan that has allocated a mere 0.47% of the Plan to essential community services. Dr Emma Campbell, ACT Council of Social Service (ACTCOSS) CEO said: “ACTCOSS is dismayed by the ACT Chief Minister’s announcement that has failed to recognise […]
The ACT Council of Social Service (ACTCOSS) today released its third 2020 ACT Election issue brief, A Just Canberra. The brief focuses on the justice system and calls for improved access to justice, diversion from prison and greater emphasis on rehabilitation and human rights in the ACT detention system. ACTCOSS CEO Dr Emma Campbell said: […]
The ACT Council of Social Service (ACTCOSS) has welcomed a call from the ACT Greens to raise the minimum age of criminal responsibility from 10 to at least 14 years old. Dr Emma Campbell, ACTCOSS CEO, said: “Today the ACT Greens showed strong leadership on this important issue by recognising that the ACT must act […]
The ACT Council of Social Service (ACTCOSS) today welcomed an announcement by ACT Minister for Community Services, Suzanne Orr MLA, committing $9 million to maintain pay levels for community sector workers set out in the Equal Remuneration Order (ERO). In 2012 the Fair Work Commission made a landmark decision that addresses the undervaluation of work […]
The ACT Council of Social Service (ACTCOSS) today released its second 2020 ACT Election issue brief, naming the lack of affordable housing as the biggest single challenge confronting people on low incomes. The issue brief Fixing Canberra’s housing crisis calls for an incoming ACT Government to address the chronic shortage of affordable housing in Canberra […]
The ACT Council of Social Service (ACTCOSS) has welcomed the ACT Government’s long overdue announcement that it will expand Canberra’s free public WiFi network to additional suburbs. This announcement came on the eve of a national report on telecommunications affordability for waged poor households released by the South Australian Council of Social Service (SACOSS) and […]
The ACT Council of Social Service (ACTCOSS) today released the first of its twelve issues briefs for the 2020 ACT Election to be rolled out over the next few weeks. The issues brief – Supporting the Community Services Sector – calls for the incoming ACT Government to conduct a full needs analysis to understand increasing […]
$61m public housing investment welcomed, but at what opportunity cost for thousands still waiting for a home? ACT Shelter, ACTCOSS and the Community Housing Industry Association (ACT Region) collectively welcome the Homelessness Week Housing Stimulus announced by the Chief Minister today but question the opportunity cost, and warn that without substantial and sustained ongoing investment […]
The ACT Council of Social Service has welcomed the ACT Government’s announcement of a $61 million investment in public housing, including the construction of 60 public housing properties, taking the total number of additional public housing dwellings promised under the Strategy to 2060. The announcement also includes building upgrades and energy efficiency improvements to existing […]
Heat maps released today by Homelessness Australia and Everybody’s Home have revealed a shortfall of 3,000 social housing dwellings in the ACT, while almost 1,600 people in the ACT are homeless. These figures, released at the start of Homelessness Week 2020, highlight yet again the urgent need for the Federal and ACT governments to deliver […]