Sector says raise the rate, ALP will scrap NT’s compulsory income management, calls for fairer Canberra

All the latest news from the Councils of Social Service of Australia.

ACOSS 

A group of 64 peak bodies and community organisations have signed a joint letter, sent by ACOSS on Wednesday, to all parties and candidates to lift income support payments so everyone can cover the basics and invest in 25,000 social housing units each year. Health Justice Australia, the National Council of Single Mothers and their Children, UnitingCare Australia, and the Public Health Association Australia are among key organisations, allies and leading experts who have united to urge action on the two game-changing policies that would be most effective in helping end poverty and transform the lives of millions with the least. 

NCOSS 

NCOSS has made a submission to the NSW Women’s Economic Opportunities Review. The social services sector is an essential industry, anchored by a female workforce. In NSW it is a major employer of women with three out of four employees in the sector being female. The submission sets out how current circumstances have brought greater recognition to the sector’s essential role and focused attention on the benefits of government partnering together to keep vulnerable members of the community safe and supported. 

VCOSS

The Victorian budget will be delivered on Tuesday 3 May 2022. It will detail the Victorian government’s plans for the decade ahead. Hosted by RMIT economics professor Dr David Hayward, join this VCOSS event on the Thursday before the budget to discuss: understanding the political and fiscal context of the budget, tips and tricks for understanding the budget papers, and what to expect on budget day.

WACOSS 

The WA state budget will be handed down on Thursday 12 May 2022 and WACOSS will be offering a briefing to members on what the implications are for them, the broader sector and the community. The WACOSS team will develop fact sheets and detailed analysis on how the state budget will impact the sector and the people we advocate for. WACOSS leader of policy and research Chris Twomey, and senior policy officer Eva Perroni, will present this analysis on Friday 13 May via Zoom from 2pm. Register here. 

NTCOSS

NTCOSS welcomes the Australian Labor Party’s commitment to scrap Compulsory Income Management if elected at the upcoming federal election. NTCOSS CEO Deborah Di Natale says she looks forward to seeing more detail on this, with better policies and strong leadership needed in this space. “We want to see all major parties match this commitment to scrap this bad policy,” she said.

TasCOSS

TASCOSS, Tasmanian Small Business Council (TSBC) and Council on the Ageing (COTA) Tasmania have made submissions to the Office of the Tasmanian Economic Regulator’s (OTTER) price investigation process, identifying savings and efficiencies that could flow through to lower electricity prices for consumers and small businesses. 

ACTCOSS 

ACTCOSS has called on all parties in the upcoming federal election to commit to a fairer Canberra by backing policies that support those who have the least. Using national analysis and ACT-focused research, ACTCOSS has identified six policy priorities that will give a fair go to people on low incomes and those disadvantaged by current systems.

QCOSS

Want to know how the Queensland state budget will impact your organisation and your community? Join QCOSS for its annual State Budget Breakfast on Thursday, 23 June for a special In Conversation with Cameron Dick MP, Queensland treasurer and minister for trade and investment.

SACOSS

SACOSS’s building a Climate Resilient Community Sector conference will illustrate why climate change is the social justice issue of our time, and that the time to step up is now. Join this event to discuss the risks and impacts on organisations, service models, paid and volunteer staff or client groups. How do we prepare? And how can we best work with government, emergency service providers and sector partners to create a safer future

This article was contributed by ACOSS Community Hub.