TasCOSS has made six submissions to the Tasmanian Government’s Pre-Budget Consultation process for consideration in the 2026/27 Tasmanian Budget, due to be handed down on Thursday 21 May 2026.
In recent weeks a number of reports have made it clear how difficult it is for Tasmanians experiencing inequality and exclusion — poverty is increasing, our housing system is in crisis, we are the least digitally included in the country, energy prices and debt are increasing, and community services are dealing with real cuts in funding.
This highlights the need for robust reform and targeted investments that will meet the scale of the challenges we face and steer Tasmania onto a sustainable pathway.
Through our budget submissions, TasCOSS advocates for investments in industry sustainability, housing, digital inclusion, preventative health, and child and youth safety that will improve the lives of Tasmanians now and save government expenditure over the long-term.
A Sustainable Future for Tasmania’s Community Services Industry
TasCOSS recommends a series of initiatives in A Sustainable Future for Tasmania’s Community Services Industry that will lead to broader sustainability across community service organisations for the long-term, and more efficient and productive relationships with cross-government agencies. By investing in targeted support and funding, the Government can safeguard the consistency of community service delivery, which is essential for achieving long-term social and economic benefits for Tasmania. This ultimately saves government money in the medium- to long-term by preventing costly crises and acute services down the line.
‘Nowhere to Go:’ Fixing Tasmania’s Broken Housing System
Tasmania is experiencing an unprecedented housing crisis that demands immediate and sustained government intervention. ‘Nowhere to Go:’ Fixing Tasmania’s Broken Housing System calls on the Government to prioritise social housing development as an essential investment for all Tasmanians, strengthen protections for renters, and slow the growth of short-stay accommodation, especially in regional areas.
Closing the Digital Divide in Tasmania
Tasmania’s poor Australian Digital Inclusion Index (ADII) performance relative to the rest of the country emphasises the need to invest in digital inclusion and close the digital divide in Tasmania. Improving digital inclusion is not only essential for Tasmania’s economic future, but also for better social, health, education and wellbeing outcomes. Closing the Digital Divide in Tasmania calls on the Government to invest in significant, long-term digital inclusion initiatives, particularly in relation to digital skills and affordability for Tasmanians on low incomes.
A Partnership Approach to a Healthier Future for Tasmania
TasCOSS asserts in A Partnership Approach to a Healthier Future for Tasmania that Tasmania’s 20 year Preventive Health Strategy ‘(the Strategy)’ represents a landmark opportunity to transform health outcomes for all Tasmanians. Looking beyond health system interventions, truly effective prevention focusses on what drives health outcomes: the social, economic and environmental conditions in which people live. To support the successful implementation, TasCOSS seeks a commitment from the Government to allocate 5% of the overall health budget to support successful implementation of the Strategy.
Supporting Children and Families to Stay Safe in Community through Prevention and Early Intervention
Building on our shared commitment to reform, in Supporting Children and Families to Stay Safe in Community through Prevention and Early Intervention, TasCOSS calls for a strategic shift in how we invest in our children. We are advocating for a Tasmanian Early Intervention Investment Framework and specialist prevention research to drive systemic change. This approach moves beyond short-term fixes, offering a sustainable model that reduces pressure on acute services and focusses on long-term safety. Most importantly, it ensures that at risk children and young people are at the center of our budget decisions, providing the resources necessary to keep them safe in community and out of the statutory systems.
Knock to Stay Connected
The Knock to Stay Connected program has proven results in significantly reducing disconnection rates for vulnerable electricity customers at risk of disconnection. As electricity prices and customers in energy debt continue to rise, our submission proposes the Government invests a small fraction of the returns from its energy businesses into extending the program and ensuring customers experiencing financial difficulty are not subject to program fees and additional charges.
TasCOSS’s pre-budget submissions are informed by Tasmanians living on low and inadequate incomes and those experiencing poverty, inequality and exclusion, as well as our members who are experts working in the community services industry and possess invaluable firsthand expertise.
We would welcome your support of the proposed initiatives. If you have queries related to TasCOSS’s budget submissions, please contact us on (03) 6231 0755 or via email.
Click on the pre-budget submission you’re interested in below to find out more:
