Return to school costs, 100 Families WA, and making a decision on JobSeeker

All the latest news from the Councils of Social Service of Australia.

ACOSS

ACOSS is calling on the Morrison government to make the right and smart decision on JobSeeker. At the National Press Club on Monday, the PM indicated that the government would be making a decision on JobSeeker before the Coronavirus Supplement is due to end at the end of March. 

ACOSS CEO Dr Cassandra Goldie said: “When the COVID-19 pandemic first hit our shores last year, the government did the right thing by doubling the old Newstart rate. Since then the government has cut back the rate multiple times. And with only one job for every nine people searching, the insecurity is wreaking havoc on people’s mental health and leaving them to face the heart-breaking decision of whether they’ll be able to afford to continue living in their home. That’s why we’re calling for a permanent and adequate increase to the rate of JobSeeker, Youth Allowance and other income support payments, of at least $25 a day more than the old Newstart rate.”

ACTCOSS

ACTCOSS this week welcomed the ACT government’s announcement of an additional $2.6 million for ACT’s homelessness sector. ACTCOSS and Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health and Community Services last week expressed their deep concern over the high rates of incarceration of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children and young people in the ACT.

QCOSS 

QCOSS is hosting a webinar to help you better understand the legal obligations of energy retailers and the rights of customers in disconnection and hardship cases. Learn through the context of real cases and have your questions answered by a panel of experts from the Australian Energy Regulator (AER). Register here.

WACOSS

WACOSS is a partner in the 100 Families WA project, which this week released findings into the mental health and wellbeing of families in the project. The qualitative research shows how many people living in poverty and disadvantage are only just being kept “afloat” by support services, and some are struggling to access the “basics” of affordable and appropriate support.

NCOSS

In a joint media release, NCOSS CEO Joanna Quilty and Homelessness NSW CEO Katherine McKernan said new data from the Productivity Commission showed that NSW was failing to address the dire need for safe and secure housing and homelessness services across the state. Read more here. 

SACOSS

Three quarters of Australians with mobility impairments are currently living in housing which does not meet their needs. That’s why SACOSS is supporting the Building Better Homes Campaign, a campaign to make accessibility standards mandatory for all new residential homes. They are urging their colleagues and supporters to sign the petition, or consider joining them and other peak bodies as campaign partners.

TasCOSS

Nominations for the Tasplan International Women’s Day Awards for Excellence 2021 are now open! The awards, proudly sponsored by Tasplan Super, are designed to recognise and give visibility to outstanding contributions by women in the Tasmanian State Service, the community services industry and local government. Make a nomination today! Nominations close 12noon, Friday 19 February 2021.

VCOSS

With “return to school” costs once again smashing household budgets, VCOSS has been advocating strongly for change. They’re pushing for an increase in government funding so schools don’t need to pass on expenses, but also for schools themselves to show restraint in what they require families to buy. See VCOSS CEO Emma King on Seven News on Facebook or Twitter.

NTCOSS

In partnership with Territory Families, Housing and Communities (TFHC), NTCOSS has developed a new online service directory, NTcommunity, to support the needs of the community services sector, NT government and the broader community to find and access human services across the Territory. Please provide feedback on usability and design, as well as any issues to tessa@ntcoss.org.au. View directory here.

This article was contributed by ACOSS Community Hub.