Each year ACOSS prepares numerous submissions to the Federal Government. We also undertake research and produce reports on policy areas that impact disadvantaged Australians. The latest ACOSS submissions and topical papers appear below as downloadable links.
August 2009
Energy and Equity, a report produced by Australia's leading environmental, consumer and welfare organisations, says energy efficiency is potentially the quickest and cheapest way to cut greenhouse pollution. Energy savings of 30% are possible using immediately available effective technologies. The report recommends that efficiency improvements be complemented by appropriate utility tariffs and safety net measures.
The report, a joint project between the Australian Council of Social Service, the Australian Conservation Foundation and CHOICE, says five percent of existing homes should be retrofitted each year with energy and water saving technologies such as insulation, solar hot water and rainwater tanks to offset inevitable increases in utility prices resulting from emissions trading and other factors.
August 2009
The Southern Cross Climate Coalition (SCCC) has been formed by some of Australia's leading social, union, environmental and independent research organisations to help lead an effective and fair response to climate change.
August 2009
The final report of the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission is clearly written and has something for everyone. It is good that it has launched a flurry of debate about the state of health care and services in Australia and the opportunities are now there to influence the tone of that debate. At the report's launch, Health Minister Nicola Roxon stated the importance of a thorough public debate about the type of health system Australia wants. ACOSS applauds the Minister's call.
July 2009
This is a joint submission by the Councils of Social Service across Australia to the Australian Industrial Relation Commission’s Award Modernisation process. The submission highlights the significant pay inequity faced by workers in the not-for-profit social and community sector and argues that the sector must be given time and support to ensure that award modernisation achieves improved outcomes for its workforce.
July 2009
This submission raises a number of issues of general principle relating to the design and conduct of the tender, and comments on some of the wider terms of reference that deal with the strengths and weaknesses of the new employment services system.
July 2009
Changes to family payments will increase child poverty. Proposed changes to the Family Tax Benefit from the 2009 Budget will mean a loss of income over time for families who can least afford it. This will almost inevitably lead to an increase in child poverty. ACOSS is concerned that low income families will pay the price of the pension increase.
June 2009
ACOSS supports the enactment of a national human rights act to improve the level of human rights protection in Australia. A national act must include economic, social and cultural rights in addition to civil and political rights in recognition of the inter-dependence of rights and the vulnerability of low income Australians to human rights infringements.
June 2009
ACOSS has warned that 360,000 of the poorest families in Australia are being left behind by legislation being examined by a Senate Committee which increases payments for age, disability and carer pensioners but which fails to include sole parent pensioners.
ACOSS has urged that the Committee recommend changes to the legislation so that sole parents on Parenting Payment Single also receive the pension increase.
June 2009
This submission is based on widespread consultation with ACOSS membership about the scope and scale of issues facing the community service and welfare sectors engaged in non-profit work. Like the Not for Profit sector generally, the community services and welfare sector is heterogeneous, ranging from small unincorporated groups with no paid staff and minimal income to large organisations with multi-million dollar budgets and hundreds of employees. Yet some key issues stand out. We need better balance and understanding in the relationships between community and welfare organisations and government to ensure that the needs of low income and disadvantaged communities are best met through the research, policy and service delivery of the sector. We also need reform of the regulation, contracting, performance monitoring and research in the sector to enhance the effectiveness of current service provision; and to create innovation and capacity building to develop our responsiveness to future increased need.
June 2009
Community services organisations provided assistance to over 3.1 million clients in 2007-2008 reports the Australian Community Sector Survey. Demand for community services across Australia increased by 19% in 2007-2008 compared to the previous year - services in highest demand are long term and crisis housing and health services (including mental health and drug and alcohol services). The Australian Community Sector Survey is the only annual survey providing an overview of the non-profit community services and welfare sector. Respondent organisations included community and welfare organisations from the membership of ACOSS and the State and Territory Councils of Social Service.
ACOSS Paper 157
