Social Justice Issues

Affordable, accessible and fairly distributed housing, transport and community facilities are vital for the social inclusion, economic participation, health and wellbeing of all people. ACTCOSS advocates for reducing homelessness, housing stress or precarity and increasing community connection through the provision of adequate and sustainable infrastructure and urban planning. ACTCOSS works with ACT Shelter and CHC […]

ACTCOSS advocates for the human rights of all peoples, and in particularly for action to redress historical deprivation of rights from people from marginalised backgrounds and communities. We call for legislation and policy that will realise and sustain the ACT’s vision of being a human rights jurisdiction.

ACTCOSS advocates for justice reform in the ACT, with a focus on reducing incarceration, raising the minimum age of criminal responsibility and addressing underlying social determinants of crime such as homelessness, health and mental health and alcohol and other drug dependence. We campaign to reduce the significant overrepresentation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples […]

People from refugee and migrant backgrounds are disproportionately affected by racism, discrimination, and social and financial disadvantage. ACTCOSS advocates for the inclusion of diverse voices and perspectives in the creation of anti-racist policies and provision of robust culturally sensitive services. Canberra Multicultural Community Forum (CMCF) – Settlement Council of Australia (scoa.org.au)

The ACT has a relatively high cost of living which exacerbates the gap between income and costs for low-income households, increasing inequality in our city. A significant number of households in the ACT struggle with meeting basic expenses including housing, adequate and healthy food, transport costs and paying utility and medical expenses. ACTCOSS advocacy focuses […]