February 2010
Inquiry into the Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Welfare Reform and Reinstatement of the Racial Discrimination Act) Bill 2009 and related bills.
ACOSS, along with our membership, have very serious concerns about the provisions in the Government bills being considered by the Committee due to their potential impact on low income Australians. The national compulsory income scheme which would be enabled by this legislation represents a top-down, one-size-fits-all, bureaucratic solution to complex social problems facing individuals and local communities. It is poorly targeted and expensive and will inflict shame and indignity on income support recipients.
December 2009
The Federal Government should immediately halt its plans to expand compulsory income management across Australia, and instead redirect funding to programs that address social problems and disadvantage.
As community organisations working to reduce poverty and social disadvantage, we call on the Government to withdraw the compulsory income management provisions of the Welfare Reform and Reinstatement of Racial Discrimination Act Bill 2009.
November 2009
While Australia’s family payment system is mostly well targeted and are relatively effective in keeping families out of poverty by assisting with the costs of children, ACOSS has proposed key changes that would reduce disadvantage among families earning less than $40,000.
November 2009
In this submission to the Australian Workforce Development Strategy underway by Skills Australia, ACOSS argues that social policy is a vital context for workforce development and sustainability and must not be ignored within strategies to address future issues.
November 2009
This submission addresses the ongoing discrimination faced by migrants under the Migration Act and in relation to social security policy.
The submission argues for the application of human rights to the Migration Act and for reform of the tax and transfer system to ensure that migrants with a disability are able to access the same social security entitlements as all Australians.
November 2009
This report argues that the key to progressive tax reform is to strengthen the personal income tax system and puts forward a set of benchmarks and options for reform. These will be used by ACOSS to evaluate the proposals of the Henry Review when it is released in coming months.
November 2009
ACOSS welcomes proposals to reduce the complexity of the income support payment system and the administrative burden on recipients. However, we have serious concerns about broader payment reforms which would impose greater restrictions and controls over spending patterns, reduce the autonomy of recipients and erode privacy.
September 2009
ACOSS strongly supported the two economic stimulus packages, the first of which was introduced a year ago. This inquiry is timely as it provides an opportunity to review these initiatives, and to make adjustments where necessary.
The evidence indicates that the package prevented a steeper and more prolonged slowdown in growth and saved jobs.
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.
