ACTCOSS have been advocating on behalf of community organisations during this COVID-19 pandemic period through actions including:

• Regular engagement with the Chief Minister's Office to ensure community organisations are included in territory-specific economic stimulus packages
• Letter to the ACT Government on community sector contracts calling for:
  • A delay or relaxation of reporting obligations
  • Suspension of KPIs and outcomes to allow for adaption to new conditions
  • Removal of penalties for non-compliance with contracts arising from the COVID-19 emergency.
• Engagement with Minister Shane Rattenbury’s office on corrections and justice health, and a letter to the Commissioner of ACT Corrective Services regarding the welfare and rights of persons in the Alexander Maconochie Centre
• With the Consumer Action Law Centre Australia and Better Renting, support for an eviction moratorium and restrictions on debt recovery, and to keep people connected to essential utilities
• Letter to the ACT Minister for Health and the ACT Minister for Community Services on preparedness and communications.

ACTCOSS Member Teleconference – COVID-19

Join our twice weekly member calls to help shape our advocacy and for more information on our work – please feel free to join each call, or just when you have an issue. Times of the calls are:

• Tuesdays 9.30am-10.30am
• Fridays 9.30am-10.30am

We will be using Zoom, which can be accessed via your web browser or phone:

• Meeting ID: 416 280 510
• Meeting link: https://zoom.us/j/416280510
  
• Meeting phone number: +61 2 8015 6011

• ACOSS response to the Federal Government stimulus package.
• ACOSS response to doubling of Newstart and Youth Allowance JobSeeker.
• ACOSS have made recommendations to the Federal Government (pdf) in response to the COVID-19 health crisis.
• ACOSS have also compiled a set of COVID-19 community sector rescue package recommendations.

• ACT Government COVID-19 Economic Survival Package
• Disability sector highlight coordinated set of measures needed regarding COVID-19 support
• New arrangements for CHSP providers during COVID-19
• Changes to Early Morning Centre (EMC) Service Delivery
• NDIS – Advice for Providers and Participants in English and other languages
• Residential Aged Care – Visitation Restrictions
• Hands Across Canberra: COVID-19 survey to inform upcoming grant round of $400,000
• Children & Young People with Disability Australia (CYFDA): COVID-19 survey to inform advocacy
• Youth program / service change info: email [email protected]
• NDIS Local Area Coordination temporary suspension of drop-ins and move to telephone bookings: email [email protected].
  

• Fairwork Australia: COVID-19 & Workplace Laws
  
• Better Renting: Navigating COVID-19 for Renters in Share Houses (Google doc)
  

If you have any COVID-19 related news for the ACT community sector, please email [email protected] and we will consider it for inclusion in these updates.