As the cost of living soars and more Canberrans tumble into poverty, the community sector has called on Federal Election candidates to state how they would solve these problems.
The ACT Council of Social Service (ACTCOSS) wants the next federal government to increase the rate of JobSeeker, Youth Allowance, and other income support payments to at least $70 a day, further supplement the incomes of people with disability and single parents, and index to the consumer price index and wages.
Almost one in 10 Canberrans live below the poverty line, and a quarter of those are children. This grim statistic is predicted to increase even further if the next Federal Government fails to act, says the ACTCOSS.
Canberrans living on low incomes are being hit hardest by the biggest increase in cost of living in over 20 years, the 2022 ACT Cost of Living Report reveals.
The ACT Council of Social Service (ACTCOSS) has called the ACT Government’s proposed cap on poker machine bet and credit limits, and introducing a central monitoring system, “a significant step towards reducing gambling harm in the Canberra community”.
The community sector is chronically underfunded by the Federal and ACT Governments, and many services and workers have been pushed to their limits, according to a survey released by the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS).
Despite significant backlash on the Growing and Renewing Public Housing Program, including the policy being called “callous and cruel”, the ACT Government say they did not agree to review the implementation of the policy, contrary to statements from ACTCOSS this morning, 4 April.
The community sector and the most vulnerable in the community must be safeguarded when it comes to mandating COVID-19 public health measures, the ACT Council of Social Services (ACTCOSS) says.
