Advocacy Publications

ACTCOSS has made a submission to the Justice and Community Safety Committee inquiry into the Family Violence Legislation Amendment Bill 2022, presented by the Attorney-General in February 2022. Our submission was largely supportive of the moves to protect victim/survivors from family violence but cautioned against the introduction of higher maximum penalties. There is substantial evidence […]

ACTCOSS made a submission to the Standing Committee on Education and Community Inclusion inquiry into the ACT Auditor General’s report No 6 of 2021: Teaching Quality in ACT Public Schools. Our submission calls for the Education Directorate to agree upon a definition of Inclusive Education as a matter of urgency. We further note the high […]

ACTCOSS has provided a response to NCETA’s discussion paper concerning a review of the National Alcohol and Other Drug Workforce Development Strategy. We supported Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug Association ACT (ATODA)’s submission to the strategy and discussion paper.   ACTCOSS supports improved standards for AOD sector workers, need for assurances of cultural competency and […]

This report informs development of more sustainable models of resourcing for the ACT community services sector. It presents a comprehensive picture of the costs involved in delivering community services, the cost pressures experienced by community organisations in the ACT, and ways to ensure funding is sustainable and at levels that meet community needs. It was […]

ACTCOSS made a submission to the Inquiry into the Period Products and Facilities (Access) Bill 2022. We support action to ensure that everyone who menstruates has free and ongoing access to period products as well as clean and sanitary public toilets in which to use them. We further highlighted that reducing and preventing period poverty […]

ACTCOSS provided feedback to the ACT Inspector of Correctional Services through the Healthy Prison Review 2022 process. Without much needed improvements to safety, respect and dignity, purposeful activity, rehabilitation and preparation for release, the Alexander Maconochie Centre (AMC) cannot be reasonably considered a ‘Healthy Prison’ or a human rights compliant facility as originally envisioned. The […]

ACTCOSS made a submission on Discrimination Law Reform in the ACT. We strongly support bringing discrimination law in line with the ACT Human Rights Act (2004) and strengthening mechanisms to respond to discrimination when it occurs.

ACTCOSS made a submission to the Standing Committee on Justice and Community Safety inquiry into the Electoral Amendment Bill 2021 (Voting age). Our submission supported lowering the minimum voting age to 16 and the voting enrolment age to 14 in the ACT in order to empower young people to participate in democratic processes. We also […]

ACTCOSS supports the proposed Public Health Amendment Bill. The Bill will provide a regulatory framework to manage health risks around COVID-19 and is better suited to addressing public health concerns than emergency public health orders.

ACTCOSS has contributed to the ACT Government’s consultation on singe-use plastics. We wrote to the Waste Policy Team calling for the transition to environmentally friendly policy to be just and aim to reduce poverty, inequality and improve wellbeing. We echoed concerns from Disabled People’s Organisations and Disability Representative Organisations that ban plastic straws would be […]