ACTCOSS’s 2025–26 comprehensive budget statement arrives at a critical moment. Too many Canberrans can’t afford basic essentials amid relentless cost-of-living pressures, wage growth below inflation growth, and a deepening housing crisis. For people on low incomes, the situation is untenable: the public housing waitlist is so overstretched that only the highest-need cases are housed, while the rental market remains out of reach, forcing impossible trade-offs between food, healthcare, utilities, and education.
In ACTCOSS’s comprehensive budget statement, we call for the 2025-26 ACT Budget to
- urgently address the deepening housing crisis
- alleviate cost-of-living pressures for low-income individuals and families
- properly resource the community sector
- prioritise and resource self-determination and community control for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities
This statement also incorporates feedback ACTCOSS members provided to Treasury during February 2025 roundtable discussions. This submission builds upon longstanding ACTCOSS priorities and seeks to amplify the insights and expertise of our members, who see firsthand the struggles Canberrans face, and the solutions that can drive meaningful change. With the right investments, reforms, and leadership, the ACT Government can build a more just, sustainable, and inclusive Canberra.