Advocacy Publications

This submission provides a summary of ACT Council of Social Service (ACTCOSS) responses to the 2020-21 ACT Budget announced on 9 February 2021. ACTCOSS believes that the delayed 2020-21 ACT Budget contained some welcome investments but fell short on the investments and vision required to ensure that Canberrans facing disadvantage are protected as the ACT […]

Regarding JobSeeker, ACTCOSS advocates for an increase of at least $25 a day on top of the old Newstart rate of $40 a day – to bring the JobSeeker rate to $65 a day. This increase would ensure a better, more affordable and more sustainable quality of life for many of the 38,000 ACT residents […]

Our submission to the Australian Energy Regulator in response to Evoenergy’s gas network 2021-26 access arrangement proposal focused on the interests of low-income and other at-risk energy consumers in the ACT. Evoenergy’s consumer engagement identified strong community support for a just transition to net zero greenhouse gas emissions in the ACT by 2045 implemented in a […]

Our submission to the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) in response to Evoenergy’s gas network 2021-26 revised access arrangement proposal focused on consumer vulnerability in the transition to net zero emissions by 2045. It encourages both the AER and Evoenergy to ensure that this and future access arrangements address consumer vulnerability and social equity issues. We […]

In this wide-ranging submission to the ACT Government’s ongoing Territory Planning Review, ACTCOSS calls for the new planning system to be evidence based, to prioritise people most affected by poor planning and to focus on social and inclusive planning.

This bulletin provides a summary of ACT Council of Social Service (ACTCOSS) responses to the 2020-21 ACT Budget announced on 9 February 2021.  The bulletin summarises key announcements for community service organisations and Canberrans on low incomes and facing disadvantage. It also includes a list of measures about which ACTCOSS will be requesting more information. […]

ACTCOSS joins work led by Advocacy for Inclusion (AFI) which brings together prominent ACT disability representative and advocacy organisations to make representations to ACT Minister for Disability Emma Davidson MLA highlighting our shared concerns regarding the introduction of independent assessments to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). We join AFI and other disability representative organisations […]

In this submission to the Light Rail: City to Woden consultation, ACTCOSS called on the ACT Government to build a flexible and responsive transport system that addresses the needs of Canberrans who face disadvantage or vulnerability. Canberra’s overall transport strategy must ensure that all Canberrans, including older people, people with disability, shift workers, people on […]

This submission responds to the Independent Competition and Regulatory Commission’s (ICRC) issues paper on the review of the retail electricity form of price control. This review seeks to ensure that the form of control the ICRC uses to regulate prices for the supply of electricity to small customers on ActewAGL’s regulated tariffs remains effective and […]

ACTCOSS has provided inputs on the Australian Government’s development of a new National Disability Strategy (NDS). In our paper we stress the need for concrete measures and investments under each of the themes, the need to articulate the role of municipal government, and the need to clarify and distinguish actions under the Strategy from actions […]