ACOSS Reports & Submissions
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.
Most recent papers
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
May 2010
This initial ACOSS briefing on the 2010-11 Federal Budget outlines key measures announced in the Budget in areas of interest to ACOSS members, to assist them in their work. It does not offer extensive comment on the merit of these measures.
May 2010
This brief summary of the Henry Review's key social security reform proposals compares them with those advanced by ACOSS, and the Government's response.
On the whole, the Review Panel's proposals regarding working age payments are disappointing. Although the review identifies the key flaws in the present payment structure - that people in similar circumstances are paid at different rates, that these gaps are growing, that the system is too complex, and that people on pension payments are discouraged from seeking employment by the risk of a large drop in income support - the Panel's proposals fall well short of a reform agenda to resolve these problems. The report does, however, call for gaps between payments to be reduced and for all working age payments to be indexed in the same way (above inflation) to keep in touch with community living standards and ensure the gaps do not widen.
May 2010
This brief summary of the Henry Review's key tax reform proposals compares them with those advanced by ACOSS, and the Government's response.
The report provides a robust framework for future reform of the tax system. It is clear from that many of our proposals were adopted by the Review, though it is not yet clear whether they will be adopted by the Government and some key proposals have been ruled out. Our proposal to reform the tax treatment of superannuation contributions was adopted by the Review panel, along with more consistent tax treatment of investment income generally, restrictions on negative gearing, a broadening of Land Tax, the removal of inequitable tax offsets (such as the Senior Australians Tax Offset and the tax break on ‘golden handshakes'), a standard deduction for work expenses, and the extension of the pension income test ‘deeming' arrangements.
April 2010
ACOSS has released its five benchmarks for equitable social security reforms, asking whether the Henry report will:
1. Equalise core social security payments for people of working age (pensions and allowances)?
2. Propose new supplements for people with disabilities, sole parent families, and job search and training expenses?
3. Increase in Family Tax Benefits and Youth Allowances to prevent poverty among families with older children?
4. Reform social security income tests to encourage unemployed people to seek part time and casual jobs?
5. Simplify income testing and taxation for pensioners?
