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Welcome to ACOSS

The Australian Council of Social Service is the peak council of the community and social services sector.

We are the national voice for the needs of people affected by poverty and inequality.

ACOSS develops and promotes socially, economically and environmentally responsible public policy and action by government, community and business.
Operating for over 50 years, ACOSS supports non-government organisations that help low income and disadvantaged Australians.
Through our network of National Members, ACOSS links community and welfare services in every corner of Australia.

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Latest News

Medicare-Levy to help pay for Ageing Population : ACOSS

1 February 2010

ACOSS has called for two measures to free-up billions of dollars to pay for the skyrocketing costs of future health, aged care and disability services - introducing a Medicare-levy supplement and scrapping inequitable tax breaks for seniors.

The 2010 Intergenerational Report released today... [ Read more ]

Compulsory Income Management Scheme Wasteful and Discriminatory

22 December 2009

The Federal Government should immediately halt its plans to expand compulsory income management across Australia, and instead redirect funding to programs that address social problems and disadvantage, a coalition of national community organisations have said in a public statement released... [ Read more ]

Latest Publications

Inquiry into proposed national compulsory income management scheme

8 February 2010

Submission to Senate Community Affairs Committee

In this submission ACOSS argues that the proposed extension of compulsory income management to affected income support recipients across the country would represent a major shift in Australian social security policy. In a clear extension beyond... [ Read more ]

Submission to the Commonwealth Government on the Exposure Draft Healthcare Identifiers Bill 2010

7 January 2010

This joint submission from the Councils of Social Service network is in response to the Commonwealth Government's Exposure Draft Healthcare Identifiers Bill 2010. The submission outlines some key issues of principle that are important in establishing identifiers in the new e-health system and... [ Read more ]