TasCOSS has long advocated for significant reform to better support Tasmanian families and children. We look forward to more detail about the Expert Panel announced today by the Tasmanian Government — in particular, we urge the Government to include key stakeholders from the community services industry in recognition of their longstanding experience working with children and families.

TasCOSS welcomes the announcement of an independent review of Tasmania’s education system as an important first step to improving education outcomes but urged the Government to include effective responses to socio-economic disadvantage faced by students in its Terms of Reference.

TasCOSS welcomes the Legislative Council’s vote in support of the Member for Nelson, Hon Meg Webb MLC’s, motion to establish an emergency taskforce to remove children from Ashley Youth Detention Centre (AYDC).

In the midst of a cost of living crisis, today’s announcement by the Tasmanian Economic Regulator of another increase in electricity prices is a blow to Tasmanians on the lowest incomes, who do not have anything left in their budgets to cut back on and are at breaking point.

With winter setting in, the Tasmanian Government is being urged to bring forward $35 million of energy bill relief due to households, as energy debt and power prices continue to climb.

The Tasmanian Government’s response to the Commission of Inquiry promised urgent and evidence-based action to protect children, including the closure of Ashley Youth Detention Centre due to serious and ongoing safety risks at the facility, but a current spike in child detainees raises serious concerns that demand immediate action.

On Tuesday 14 May 2024, the Treasurer, the Hon Dr Jim Chalmers MP, handed down the latest Federal Budget. Read TasCOSS’s reaction and responses from across the community services industry.

There were many welcome announcements in this Federal Budget, however TasCOSS believes the Government got its priorities wrong, particularly choosing not to increase JobSeeker, and providing universal rather than targeted cost of living relief.