Publications
ACOSS publications inform public debate about ACOSS policy issues, document ACOSS research and influence Government on policy. Many ACOSS publications are developed in partnership with other organisations
17 August 2010
ACOSS has coordinated a submission on behalf of the COSS network to the Productivity Commission's inquiry into a long-term disability care and support scheme. Given the range of disability and carer organisations involved in the inquiry and their expertise on the lived experience of disability and care work, the COSS submission focuses on the details of the scheme. We advocate keeping the scheme separate from existing social security provisions such as payments for people with disability and for carers. We also advocate maintaining the scheme distinctly from other service systems, notably aged care, in order to ensure its sustainability and focus.
13 August 2010
Better oral health care must be on the national agenda : REPAIR: REvitalise the system, by focusing on Prevention, Access, Improved workforce and Research
6 August 2010
This policy analysis describes the job prospects and financial situation of unemployed young people, and raises policy proposals to improve them. The 'Compact with Young People', which guarantees education and training for young unemployed people, is the right approach but there are gaps in the Compact including paid work experience, work-based training, mentoring, and help with relocation. On the other hand, 'get-tough' approaches such as removal of income support or forced relocation would create hardship without improving the job prospects of young Australians.
4 August 2010
Summary Paper and Presentations
More than 60 consumer, welfare, environment and government representatives participated in Water Reform - A National Consumer Forum, in Melbourne on 3 July 2009. The Forum was presented by the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS), the Consumer Utilities Advocacy Centre (CUAC) and the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) with the aim of building knowledge about national water reform issues and considering strategies for increasing consumer consultation and engagement with the Federal Government.Summary Paper and Presentations
4 August 2010
ACOSS' Election Platform outlines key priorities to build a fair Australia which ensures people on low incomes are not excluded because of social or economic disadvantage. We are calling for commitments from our political leaders on issues including: Work and income support; Affordable Housing; Oral health; Indigenous; Tax; Climate change; and measures to Strengthen the Community Sector.
29 July 2010
More than one in three Australians delay or avoid dental treatment because they can't afford it and increasing numbers of people are sitting on long waiting lists for public dental care.
In this statement, the National Oral Health Alliance calls for more affordable and timely dental services, particularly for low-income Australians who are mostly likely to suffer from poor oral health.
20 July 2010
The new job seeker compliance system which started in July 2009 is more flexible than the old 'three strikes and you're out' system but there's still too much punishment and too little help for unemployed people, especially young people and Indigenous people.
This submission gives our assessment of the new activity test compliance and penalty regime for recipients of Newstart Allowance, Youth Allowance and Parenting Payment and recommendations to improve it.
17 June 2010
ACOSS is participating in a consultation process looking at the how the compulsory income management scheme will operate and is highly concerned that income management could be extended much more broadly within the designated regions than we had expected, and to make it much harder than expected for people to obtain exemptions. Under these draft guidelines, many recipients of age, disability and carer pensions living in areas that are nominated by the Minister could fall under the scheme.
A number of the proposed ‘tests' are complex and highly intrusive, would be challenging for many middle - income Australians, and costly to administer. There is also a real risk that many people in vulnerable circumstances, including victims of domestic violence and homeless people, will avoid seeking assistance from the social workers.
17 June 2010
From 1 July 2010 major changes are due to be made to the way income support payments are paid to recipients in the Northern Territory, and potentially across Australia.
Income management fundamentally changes the way social security benefits are paid. It will apply in blanket fashion to entire categories of recipients in regions nominated by the Minister. Yet the legislation has been passed in the absence of adequate public debate or consultation with those directly affected, and with the relevant national community organisations.
This policy analysis, Compulsory Income Management: A flawed answer to a complex issue, looks at the major aspects of the scheme.
17 May 2010
The 2010 Federal Budget has begun to do what ACOSS has long been advocating - a health system that coordinates and integrates health promotion and primary care within a clearly multi-disciplinary model. However, important pieces of the puzzle are missing, not least in the areas of oral health and mental health. This analysis and commentary addresses announcements for the health portfolio in the 2010 Federal Budget, including some previously agreed to by the Council of Australian Governments, that are directly relevant to ACOSS priorities of improving access to health services and improving health outcomes for low income Australians.
