Advocacy Publications

In this submission to the ACT Independent Competition and Regulatory Commission’s review of the Utility Consumer Code, ACTCOSS believes there are improvements needed to the code and to the support processes within the industry and community services to improve consumer awareness, protection and assertion of their rights.

ACTCOSS welcomes the development of a Family Violence Death Review (FVDR) in the ACT. This is an important mechanism for systemic learning and supports broader national analysis. ACTCOSS aspires to an independent and robust FVDR. We propose it should be located in the Coroner’s Court, advised by the Domestic Violence Prevention Council, and accompanied by appropriate […]

This factsheet provides an overview of the extent of gambling harm in Australia and the ACT, outlines statistics on the prevalence of harm, and outlines ACTCOSS’ advocacy asks. This is one of a series of ACTCOSS factsheets that harnesses data to provide accessible insights into key social policy issues in the ACT. The data indicates […]

Joint submission by the ACT Energy Consumers Policy Consortium (comprised of representatives of ACT Council of Social Service (ACTCOSS), Care Financial Counselling Service, Conservation Council ACT Region, SEE-Change and the Small Business Taskforce of the Canberra Business Chamber) In this submission, the Consortium urges the ACT Government to include a framework in its Climate Strategy that […]

To mark the UN International Day of People with Disability and as part of work funded by the ACT Office For Disability, ACTCOSS partnered with People With Disabilities ACT on a health-themed edition of The Canberra Disability Review, and produced an infographic ‘Medicopoly’ highlighting choice and control issues in access to health. We used the […]

Joint submission by ACTCOSS, Canberra Business Chamber, CHC Affordable Housing, Master Builders ACT, Property Council of Australia – ACT Division, Australian Property Institute ACT and Real Estate Institute ACT. The proposed changes to the water and sewerage infrastructure charging regime represent the most significant change to infrastructure charges in the ACT since the introduction of […]

In this position paper we explore the policy issues related to addressing transport disadvantage in our city. We note that, as used broadly in existing literature, the term ‘transport disadvantage’ is separate to social disadvantage and that it can affect both socially disadvantaged and socially advantaged people. Who is affected by transport disadvantage largely depends […]

ACTCOSS welcomes the opportunity to provide comment on the Exposure Draft of the Public Advocate (Official Visitors) Amendment Bill 2012, as released by the ACT Greens on 10 January 2012. The role of Official Visitors is an important one, seeking to hear the voices and experiences of people detained or voluntarily being cared for in […]

This green paper, launched in Anti-Poverty Week 2015, features the voices of representatives from Canberra’s community and private sectors as they unite around the issues surrounding the ACT housing affordability crisis. ACTCOSS contributed the chapter titled ‘Anything but average: Understanding rental housing affordability in Canberra’.

ACTCOSS provided comment to the Standing Committee on the Public Accounts Inquiry into the Auditor General’s Report No.4 of 2013: National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness (NPAH). The review had two clear objectives: to identify that the ACT government is meeting its obligations, and that the NPAH is making a difference for homeless persons. ACTCOSS notes, […]