Latest News & Advocacy

Tasmanians have been bracing themselves for another large increase in electricity prices following the 11.8% increase in prices last year, and the announcement of a 9.51% increase from 1 July will be the final straw for many household budgets already at breaking point.

TasCOSS welcomes the funding injection of $200,000 from Aurora Energy for the Energy Hardship Fund, which will directly help Tasmanians who are struggling to pay their energy bills.

Minister for Energy, Guy Barnett, has today acknowledged that he reported incorrect data when he claimed that energy debt in Tasmania ‘has nearly halved’ in Budget Estimates earlier this week. 

Minister for Energy, Hon Guy Barnett MP, has repeated several misleading claims in Budget Estimates hearings that demonstrate a lack of understanding of the severe impact that skyrocketing electricity prices are having on Tasmanian household budgets and energy debt.

A growing economy is not enough to life people out of poverty, writes Dr Charlie Burton.

Read TasCOSS and the network of community services industry peaks Budget responses.

While the Government has openly acknowledged this was going to be a tough Budget, even in challenging economic times, the goal of every budget must be to ensure all Tasmanians can afford the basics. However, this Budget fails to do this.

On Tuesday 9 May 2023, 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.