Support ACOSS in developing sound policy and undertake effective advocacy on the needs of people affected by poverty, disadvantage and inequality, and to build a strong and sustainable community sector.
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May 2012
The initial ACOSS briefing on the 2012-13 Federal Budget. This briefing does not offer extensive comment on the merit or otherwise of these measures. The paper provides a general background on the Budget surplus, revenue and expenses, a table of ACOSS proposals that were announced in the Budget, and an outline of the key measures in ACOSS' major policy areas.
March 2012
This submission is ACOSS' supplementary submission to the Senate Community Affairs Committee on the Social Security Legislation Amendment Bill 2011.
This submission explores measures affecting sole parents on income support, such as the changing of rules regarding eligibility for Parenting Payment Single as of 1 January 2013, which would result in a loss of up to $58 per week in income support for around 28,000 sole parents over the next 4 years; and measures affecting young unemployed people aged 21 years, whereby 21 year old unemployed people would lose access to Newstart Allowance and have to remain on the lower Youth Allowance for an extra year after they turn 21.
February 2012
A briefing setting out ACOSS priorities for improving the viability and effectiveness of community services by reducing the overly onerous and unnecessary burden of red tape.
February 2012
The ACOSS Emergency Relief Handbook provides information to assist organisations to develop their policies, programs and service delivery.
This fourth edition of the ER Handbook is a practical, hands-on resource for staff engaged in the delivery of ER to clients. It provies a general guide that can be adapted by organisations to assist them to best meet the needs of their clients. Managers and coordinators of community organisations and Australian government departments will also find useful information about the design and evaluation of ER services.
The ACOSS ER Handbook is an invaluable resource for workers, volunteers and managers alike.
February 2012
A brief analysis of the decision by Fair Work Australia on the ASU's Equal Remuneration Order application for community sector workers. While this is a huge step towards ensuring viable, effective social services, by requiring appropriate levels of pay for community sector workers, it still remains for those who fund community services to work with those services in order to develop funding models that will ensure workers are adequately paid.
January 2012
In this submission, ACOSS outlines policy recommendations for consideration by the Federal Government in its 2012-13 Budget. The submission aims to resolve the tension between the Govern-ment’s commitment to restore the Budget to surplus from 2012-13 and the urgency of social and economic needs not yet met, of key social and economic reforms not yet completed.
Our priority for the 2012-13 Federal Budget remains to ensure that no person is excluded from the benefits of economic growth and prosperity and from the opportunity to fully participate in society. Some of the policy building blocks to meet this goal have been laid, including the commitment to introduce a National Disability Insurance Scheme, the emerging policy focus on employment participation for people excluded from the labour market, and last year’s mental health reform package.
December 2011
A joint submission from the national COSS (Councils of Social Service) network to Treasury on the definition of charity.
August 2011
This submission is based on the COSS networks analyses of the implications of work valuation, workforce challenges, government contracting policies and funding arrangements, and the introduction of the modern award on community services in Australia.
THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE UNDERVALUATION OF WORK PERFORMED IN THE COMMUNITY SECTOR IS REFERABLE TO GENDER
Fair Work Australia's interim decision (16 May 2011)
1. The COSSes congratulate FWA on the finding that for employees in the community sector there is not equal remuneration for men and women workers for work of equal or comparable value by comparison with state and local government employment.
2. The COSSes agree with FWA that undervaluation of the work performed in the SACS-covered sector is the result of a combination of factors.
3. The COSSes agree with FWA's conclusion that employers in the community sector
...value the work of their employees and would like to attract and retain the best employees possible and reward them on a fair basis given the work they perform and wages paid in the community.
4. The COSSes urge FWA to set rates which properly value the work of the community sector. We consider this a necessary step towards resolving the gender related undervaluation that exists in the funding and contracting arrangements between governments and the sector.
5. FWA sought submissions from the parties on the extent to which we consider,
...wage rates in the SACS industry are lower than they would otherwise be because of gender considerations, including how the amount of the gender related undervaluation of the work of the classifications in the industry should be calculated and concrete estimates of that gender related undervaluation.
June 2011
This is the ACOSS submission to the Australian Tax Office's Draft Taxation Ruling TR 2011/D2 (Draft Taxation Ruling). ACOSS has detailed our position on the need for charitable tax law reform and the need for improved regulation for the not-for-profit sector in many of our submissions including those to the Productivity Commission's Inquiry into the contribution of the not-for-profit. ACOSS supports the view that the Draft Tax Ruling upholds the High Court decision regarding Aid/Watch v Tax Commissioner. ACOSS believes that the High Court decision and the subsequent draft Taxation Ruling has overturned outdated restrictions concerning the advocacy activities of charities and presents a clearer way forward for the not-for-profit sector.
May 2011
This paper aims to move beyond the myths and stereotypes to take a closer look at who these two million people are and why it is that many have not found paid work, despite falling unemployment levels.