Latest News & Advocacy

We are not doing enough to address the digital divide, says Adrienne Picone.

TasCOSS has welcomed the Tasmanian Government’s $5 million cost of living package, which acknowledges the significant cost of living pressures Tasmanians are currently facing.

As Tasmania’s levels of housing stress continues to worsen and new data reveals the cost of rents have increased by 6.2% in the past year alone, TasCOSS is calling for a collaborative approach to tackle the current housing crisis.

TasCOSS is calling on the Tasmanian Government to take urgent action to address soaring cost of living pressures as new data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows Hobart’s Consumer Price Index now sits at 6.5%, well above the national average of 6.1%.

While we welcome the partial funding of some of the critical volunteering priorities in the State Budget, the Government continues to fall short of addressing the pressing challenges faced by Tasmania’s volunteering industry, our largest workforce.   

Carers Tasmania welcomes confirmation in the 2025/26 Tasmanian Budget of additional funding to be provided to continue our work supporting and advocating on behalf of more than 87,000 Tasmanians who care for a family member or friend with disability, chronic or life-limiting health condition, mental ill health, drug or alcohol dependence, or who is frail aged, or who care for a child because their parents cannot.

Today’s Budget announcement was not what we were hoping for and impacts on both our direct work with communities, and the ability of the peak body to support the foundations of our Neighbourhood Houses.  

While outlining some additional investment in mental health, nearly all of what is detailed in the Budget relates specifically to clinical and acute services.