The government is looking to utilise a location app for tracing people who have come into contact with someone carrying coronavirus. Such contact-tracing is vital for controlling the spread of the virus and (if there are appropriate privacy safeguards) an app may be of great use in this process, but not everyone will have the choice to use this service. Those without smart phones and data, or who don’t have the digital literacy to use such an app are at risk of being missed in contact tracing, potentially putting them – and the community – at greater risk.
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Welcome to the SACOSS blog.
Coronavirus Tracing and Digital Inclusion
16 April 2020
Putting Full Employment Back on the Agenda
28 January 2020
There has been discussion in Adelaide policy circles recently about Modern Monetary Theory (MMT) with lectures, conference presentations and workshops by visiting American academic, Professor Stephanie Kelton, who is also senior economic advisor to US Presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders.
Tax changes necessary to close a rort
15 July 2019
Industry heads in Construction (Advertiser, 8 July), the Property Council and the developer lobby are issuing “dire warnings” mobilising against the changes to land tax announced in the state budget (Advertiser, 25 June). And why wouldn't they? In recent years business and vested interest mobilisations worked to defeat the many tax changes federally, and the bank tax in SA under the last government. The power of a well-funded scare campaign should not be underestimated, and some upper house MLC’s already seem to be succumbing.
Four Reasons Why Digital Transformation Matters for the Community Services Sector
28 February 2019
By Dr Greg Ogle, Senior Policy Officer, SACOSS
Not everyone can afford to be online
27 January 2019
Digital engagement can come at a hefty price for anyone who doesn’t have access to cheap and reliable data streaming or digital literacy.
The challenges get greater as more government services and businesses go online.
In the past month, how many of us registered our car, renewed our licence, registered with My Aged Care, got information fromCentrelink or the NDIS, or booked a show or holiday online?
Similarly, education has gone online and children also use it for sport and to maintain their friendships.
Petrol price volatility hits the poor hardest
22 November 2018
Hand-wringing over the high cost of petrol does little to help those hardest hit by price volatility – but there are things governments can do to reduce cost-of-living pressures.
The need to be online is blowing a hole in budgets of the poor: Better infrastructure and income support needed
15 October 2018
This week is both Anti-Poverty Week and Get Online Week in Australia, so it’s a good time to ask how anyone can get by spending just $12 a week on telecommunications.
There’s no doubt telecommunications are essential in an age where government services, businesses, employment and education are all online, and much of our contact with friends and family rely on social media and digital communications. Recent SACOSS research shows that the average SA household spends $46 on telecommunications each week, equivalent to 3.2% of their disposable income. That was more...
Rejecting 'tough on crime'? That's political bravery!
4 October 2017
Ross Womersley - CEO, SACOSS
With an election in the air, neither of the major parties wants to be in a position where the public can accuse them of being soft on crime. This is why the Opposition must be congratulated for having the courage to oppose the State Government’s tough new Bill for repeat offenders.
The Government’s response to a series of high-profile and tragic accidents caused by repeat young offenders was to seek harsher punishments and to treat children and young people as adults.
If not a bank levy, then what?
29 June 2017
The big banks are lobbying against the State Government’s major bank levy, three crossbenchers (the Australian Conservatives, and John Darley) say they’ll oppose it, and the State Liberals are considering their position. But it is vital that all South Australians understand what is at stake.
2017-18 State Budget - SACOSS Opinion
23 June 2017
Ross Womersley, CEO
SACOSS has mixed feelings towards this year’s State Budget which comes against a backdrop of sustained high unemployment and underemployment, and significant economic challenges, particularly in some of our regional areas.