ACT Council of Social Service Inc.
Justice | Equity | Social Inclusion | Reconciliation
This factsheet provides a snapshot of key findings for the ACT from the Australian Community Sector Survey 2021. These include that in 2021:
ACTCOSS made a submission to the federal Religious Discrimination Bill 2021, endorsing Equality Australia's position that the Bill will remove protections for LGBTIQA+ people, women, people with disabilities and others. We need fair and equal discrimination laws that protect all of us, equally.
This submission outlines why the establishment of minimum energy efficiency standards for rental homes in the ACT is an important social justice measure. The submission responds to each of the issues raised in the consultation paper: the proposed standard; support for introduction of the standard; implementation issues; and evaluation and review.
Our submission highlights the overrepresentation of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples across the justice system and the experiences of people with disability and mental illness in Community Corrections. We also called for significant investment into housing, mental health and alcohol and drug treatment services.
This ACTCOSS annual report highlights our achievements for 2020-21, including major policy advocacy and capability activities.
In this submission, ACTCOSS supports: the removal of no cause terminations from the Act, prohibiting rent bidding, introducing best practice minimum standards for all residential tenancies, and strengthening the rights of tenants to grow food and to compost.
This factsheet brings together a range of important data and information on poverty and inequality in the ACT.
ACTCOSS has responded to the ACT Government’s updated Commissioning Roadmap. There are some positives including identification of priority sub-sectors, clarity of procurement pathways and more information of contract flexibility and extensions during the commissioning processes. However, we remain concerned that there is more work needed on identifying outcomes, an explanation of cross-directorate engagement, and the importance of appropriate budgets to ensure timely and informed engagement from the community sector.
This bulletin provides a summary of ACTCOSS responses to the 2021-22 ACT Budget announced on 13 October 2021.
In ACTCOSS's submission to the Australian Parliamentary Inquiry into housing affordability and supply in Australia, we urged the federal government to invest in public housing and renew its focus on community housing, and provided a number of othe
This submission responds to Libraries ACT’s Imagine 2030 process to co-design our future libraries with the community. In this submission, ACTCOSS acknowledges the significant role that Libraries ACT plays in supporting social justice in our community.
The 2021 ACT Cost of Living Report tracks changes in the cost of living for low-income households in the Australian Capital Territory over the past 12 months and five years.
In this submission, ACTCOSS’s key recommendation is that the Guideline does not present a barrier to electricity retailers introducing better offer checks and better offer notifications for residential and small business customers during the transitional period.
ACTCOSS provided feedback on Dr Marisa Paterson's exposure draft of the Crimes (Consent) Amendment Bill 2021, which introduces a new definition of consent based on free and voluntary agreement. We support the Bill yet request further clarity and consultation regarding potential perverse outcomes on marginalised people.
In ACTCOSS's submission to the inquiry and review of current health assessment programs in the ACT for children and young people, we highlight the need for the ACT Government to commit to a real increase in spending on health services.
In ACTCOSS’s submission we call for the 2021-22 ACT Budget to work towards a fair and just Canberra through: A sustainable recovery from the social, health and economic shock of COVID-19; Adequate funding for community sector organisations; Addressing the ACT’s ongoing housing crisis; Reducing inequality and supporting increased numbers of Canberrans receiving income support; and Improving outcomes for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples. Our submission outlines asks across 15 priority areas supported by evidence and data.
ACTCOSS strongly supports passing the Drugs of Dependence (Personal Use) Amendment Bill 2021. Moving toward decriminalising a range of drugs for personal use will have enormous positive impact, especially for some of the most disadvantaged and marginalised people in the ACT and broader community.
This edition of the ACTCOSS Update journal celebrates the contribution of the community sector workforce and looks at ways we can ensure its ongoing success. It highlights ways that we can protect our mental health and wellbeing and provides examples of good practice in our organisations. It also shares work being done across the community sector to ensure that we build a sustainable, professionalised and respected workforce.