ACOSS in the News

Media highlights from 2010

• Support for services to reduce homelessness | Third Sector Magazine | 26 February
  A look at further developments on the Federal Government's priority to reducing homelessness.
• Abbott misses the mark | Australian Financial Review | 25 February (subscription required)
  Tony Abbott's planned welfare crackdown which would involve lifting the retirement age to 70, having unemployed people under 50 working for the dole and ensure annual medical tests for people on disability support, has been dismissed by the Australian Council of Social Service.
• Abbott's welfare plan 'way off mark' | Canberra Times | 25 February
  ... The nation's peak welfare body says the proposals are "way off the mark". "They won't help people into a job or reduce their reliance on income support," Australian Council of Social Service chief executive Clare Martin said. The money should be spent on programs like paid work experience, and lifting the unemployment benefit. "Unemployment payments are $108 less a week than the single pension, which discourages pensioners from seeking work arid moving on to the unemployment payment," she said.
• Community services a ‘lifeline' for Australians during the downturn | 25 February | Third Sector Magazine
  Clare Martin, CEO of the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS), commented on the results of the Australian Community Sector Survey 2010, which found a four per cent increase in community services since the previous year.
• Welfare groups slam Abbott's plan | SMH | 24 February
• We're caring and can fix this, says PM | SMH | 17 February
• Opposition won't meet homeless target | AAP | 17 February
• Charity requests rise | AFR | 15 Feb 2010 (subscription required)
  The Australian Council of Social Service's welfare survey revealed that charities received 4.3 million requests for assistance in the last financial year, a figure that Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said was not surprising.
• Welfare agencies reject 1 in 10 | Canberra Times | 15 Feb 2010
• ACOSS welcomes new Centrelink legislation for the disadvantaged | Third Sector Magazine | 15 February
  Disadvantaged Australians will benefit from new legislation that gives the option to change the frequency of Centrelink payments.
• Crisis and welfare organisations in struggle to respond to cries for help | SMH | 14 February
• Checks and balance awry in welfare rework | SMH | 14 February
• Young and desperate join aid queue | SMH | 14 February
• GFC continues to put pressure on charities: Rudd | AAP / Fairfax | 14 February
• Push to reform not-for-profit sector | AFR | 12 Feb (subscription required)
  A report by the Productivity Commission has urged the Federal Government to carry out a major overhaul in the not-for-profit sector. The publication stated that a regulator that resembles the Australian Securities and Investments Commission should be set up to help consolidate the relevant state and federal regimes. Australian Council of Social Service chief executive Clare Martin says the recommendations will cut red tape, while Clubs Australia chief executive David Costello says that clubs should reserve their not-for-profit status.
• Funding overhaul call for not-for-profits | Fairfax | 12 February
• Call to stop compulsory income quarantining | Sydney Morning Herald | 8 February
• Barcode plan to restrict welfare recipients' purchases | The Australian | 2 February
• Wealthy get $55bn in tax breaks | The Australian | 30 January

December 2009

• ALP seats scoop the pool of job funds | Sydney Morning Herald | 10 December 2009
  
• Parents count cost of reform in child care | The Australian | 5 December 2009
• Income Management | ABC Radio National | Australia Talks | 1 December 2009

November 2009

• Disadvantaged ‘demonised' in welfare money controls | The Age | 26 November 2009
• Jenny Macklin spells out welfare changes | The Australian | 26 November 2009
• Greens pan income management expansion | ABC TV | 25 November 2009
• ETS to raise costs, but families compensated | ABC Radio National | PM | 25 November 2009
• PM vows no family will be worse off | The Australian | 25 November 2009
• Tax battle may affect advocacy bodies | The Australian | 23 November 2009
• Sole parents need bonus | The Australian | 19 November 2009
• Investors owed duty | Herald Sun | 18 November
• Call for ban on commissions for financial advisers | Sydney Morning Herald | 18 November 2009
• Opinion: Minimising tax a rich man's game | The Age | 16 November
• Big flaws in the tax fix proposals of big business | Sydney Morning Herald | 16 November
• Housing stress getting worse | Australian | 6 November
• Swan flags super tax shake-up | Australian Financial Review | 6 November 2009 (subscription needed)
  ... The Australian Council of Social Service pushed for an alternative option in a tax reform paper yesterday, which is to abolish the 15 percent contributions tax and tax workers super at the individual's marginal income tax rate ...
• Community work pay push | The Age | 5 November
• Tax review 'must tackle inequalities' | The Australian | 5 November
  States to fight for compensation | Australian Financial Review | 5 November (subscription needed)
  ... the Australian Council of Social Service said there were inefficient tax expenditures such as the Health Insurance Rebate, Self-Education deductions and the Senior Australians Tax Offset that could be abolished and replaced with direct spending in these areas.

• Super levy increase on the cards | Sunday Canberra Times | 1 November

October 2009

• Don't allow rich to hide | Daily Telegraph | 27 October 2009
• Macklin gets tough on disability pensions | The Australian | 22 October 2009
• Report urges not-for-profit sector reform | Canberra Times | 15 October 2009
• Commission goes into bat for not-for-profit | ABC Radio National The World Today | 15 October 2009
• Young and the jobless | Sun Herald | 11 October 2009
• Jobless drop sign of hope, ACOSS | 8 October 2009
• Australian human rights charter a little closer | Courier Mail | October 08, 2009
• Tax blitz on rich urged | Herald Sun | 5 October 2009
  "...The Australian Council of Social Service said trusts should be taxed like companies, or income attributed to the trust controller. "A key part of tax reform should include a crackdown on shelters and loopholes that are exploited by high-income earners," ACOSS chief Clare Martin said. "It's not fair that most people pay tax at their marginal rate while others can dodge the system by channelling income through private trusts.' ..."
• Don't cave in to Coalition, climate lobby warns PM | Sunday Age | 4 October 2009