Advocacy Publications

ACTCOSS made a submission to the Inquiry into Abortion and Reproductive Choice in the ACT discussing accessibility, affordability, and safety of reproductive healthcare. Our submission focused on the need for culturally safe and inclusive practices, as well as interventions to improve the availability and accessibility of abortions and reproductive options in the Territory.

The ACT Council of Social Service (ACTCOSS), along with Financial Rights Legal Centre (FRLC), Good Shepherd Australia New Zealand (Good Shepherd), the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC), South Australian Council of Social Service (SACOSS) and Tasmanian Council of Social Service (TasCOSS) have made a joint submission in response to the Australian Energy Market Commission’s (AEMC) […]

ACTCOSS made a submission to the Committee on Economy and Gender and Economic Equality’s inquiry into housing and rental affordability. Alongside ACT Shelter we recommended that the ACT Government undertake research on vacancy rates, and focus on building significant number of public social housing dwellings and community housing provider-delivered social and affordable rental dwellings.

This bulletin provides a summary of ACT Council of Social Service (ACTCOSS) responses to the 2022-23 ACT Budget announced on 2 August 2022.  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 has made a submission to the ACT Community Services Directorate, ACT Office for Disability on the development of the ten-year ACT Disability Strategy (ACTDS). ACTCOSS has identified ten key focus areas to improve the quality of life for people with disabilities in the ACT and make Canberra an accessible and inclusive city. These are […]

ACTCOSS made a submission to the ACT Government’s Draft Multicultural Recognition Bill 2022 in support of a strong commitment to a diverse, inclusive and anti-racist community. We encouraged the government to act on the commitment to multiculturalism by introducing accessible anti-discrimination reporting and enforcement mechanisms.

ACTCOSS provided a submission to the Inquiry into Access to Services and Information in Auslan. Our submission highlighted that improving access to services and information in Auslan is a human rights issue, which should be addressed with urgency.  We endorse submissions made by Advocacy for Inclusion (AFI) and other disability and carer advocacy organisations, and […]

ACTCOSS has made a submission to the Right to a Healthy Environment consultation process. ACTCOSS is proud of the ACT’s commitment to a be a human rights jurisdiction, and we support the addition of a right to a healthy environment (RHE) to the ‘Economic, Social and Cultural rights’ (ESC) section of the ACT Human Rights […]

ACTCOSS has made a submission to the ACT Government’s Variations in Sex Characteristics Draft Bill 2022. Our submission supports the restriction of medical treatments for variations in sex characteristics to those occurring on the basis of: being an emergency treatment; ease of reversibility; not affecting sex characteristics; and being performed with informed consent. Further, the […]

ACTCOSS has made a submission to the ACT Government’s Planning Review and Reform Project. Our submission calls for high quality consultation with people experiencing disadvantage and highlights the need to prioritise accessible and affordable housing and community connection in all planning reforms.