Media

Poverty figures paint a poor picture

24 August 2018

Mahatma Gandhi famously said that a society can be measured by how it treats its most vulnerable.
While it follows from this maxim that lifting people out of poverty should be a priority, the reality is that governments rarely shine a light on this issue.

The issues are complex, and political life cycles often result in short term policy settings and programs which don’t give real and lasting solutions.
So we applaud the SA Parliament which is currently examining the extent of poverty in South Australia.

Poverty rate twice as high in regional SA

13 August 2018

SACOSS is today releasing a substantial piece of research into poverty in SA. This includes the calculation of a brand new and more accurate poverty line specific to SA. This is the first time SA-specific data has been used in this way.

Cost of living pressures bite hardest on unemployed: Report asks Steven Marshall to call for increase to Newstart

6 August 2018

SACOSS’s latest Cost of Living Report released today focuses on the struggle of South Australians living on the Newstart and other basic income support payments, and calls on SA Premier Steven Marshall to add the state government’s voice to the chorus of calls to increase these inadequate social security payments.

The SACOSS report, which includes examples of household budgets of five people trying to live on Newstart, finds that:

Latest internet use data shows SA still lagging- 15% of South Australians don’t use the internet

4 June 2018

A Fact Sheet released by the South Australian Council of Social Service shows that 15% of South Australians don’t use the internet, 17.5% of South Australian households don’t have internet access at home, and South Australia lags behind the Australian average in most categories of internet use. The Fact Sheet is based on the latest ABS data on household internet use.

Key findings:

Hoax letter cheap shot at vital service

29 May 2018

LAST week there was another appalling, anonymous attack on a vital inner-city homelessness service, with fake Hutt St Centre expansion letters sent to neighbours. It is heartening to see though that, by and large, most local residents and businesses aren’t being been swayed by these scare campaigns, lies and misinformation.

SACOSS report card welcomes parties’ policies on digital poverty

13 March 2018

But uncertainty remains over cuts to services

Hospitals squeezing out other healthcare

1 March 2018

A SACOSS analysis today reveals a dramatic fall in funding to non-hospital health services in South Australia.

Using the most recent figures on total health funding by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, SACOSS has looked at the breakdown of hospital vs non-hospital health spending.

According to these AIHW figures (2017), two-thirds of all SA government health expenditure goes on hospitals. Our analysis shows that non-hospital health expenditure (which includes community and public health, dental services and research) has fallen from 40% of all SA...

SACOSS Leaders Debate on Social Issues

1 March 2018

On Tuesday 27 February, SACOSS hosted a Leaders Debate on Social Issues at the Science Exchange in Adelaide.

The Premier Jay Weatherill, Opposition Leader Stephen Marshall, and SA Best Leader Nick Xenophon gave short opening addresses, before answering questions from SACOSS, and then questions submitted to SACOSS prior to the debate from audience and sector members.

Consumers could be winners in energy election

22 February 2018

The South Australian Council of Social Service has welcomed the latest round of energy policy announcements today, and says that consumers could end up being the real winners in a state election focused on energy.

Nick Xenophon today launched the SA Best Energy Policy - which includes a community-owned electricity retailer as well as a move to review the energy concession - while the Labor Party announced interest-free loans for household solar energy.

More forced removals an offensive kneejerk reaction: There are much better ways to help kids in danger