Latest news with #ACOSS
Sky News AU
6 days ago
- Business
- Sky News AU
Struggling Aussies prioritising phone and internet bills over food, Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman report reveals
Some low-income Australians have prioritised paying their phone or internet bill over essentials like food or rent, a shock new report has shown. The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) Cynthia Gebert has handed down a review of over 900 complaints about financial hardship in the 12 months to March 30. The TIO's report said price pressures forced many customers to make difficult decisions when balancing their budgets. Poor treatment of customers seeking help by service staff also weighed on struggling Australians. "Some customer service staff made them feel belittled or guilty for requesting help," the report reads. "Some consumers also told us they chose to pay for their telco services over other essential items such as rent or food." One customer said their financial hardship worsened after their telco direct debited money from their account despite having a payment plan in place. 'This is devastating to us, as we are already struggling to meet basic needs, and I need to feed my 5-year-old and pay for petrol to get her to kindergarten,' the anonymous customer said. 'We live in a rural region and even struggle to pay the petrol to seek out the food relief we use.' Another anonymous customer said she asked her telco for an extra week to pay her bill as she needed cash for an urgent car repair. The telco agreed but took the money out on the regular day and refused her a refund, leaving her with limited cash for another week. Ms Gebert said access to phone and internet services should not be considered a luxury, but rather essential services vital for everyday life. 'The consequences of losing access to your phone and internet can be serious, it can lead to people losing work and being unable to access critical support. From there, things can continue to spiral,' she said. 'Losing income and support services can compromise people's food security, safety and health. 'People may be just managing their basic living expenses like food, rent, and petrol, and be one unexpected phone bill or life event away from falling into hardship. 'It's at these critical moments that accessing the support you're entitled to from your telco is more important than ever – so you can manage your bills and stay connected." The shocking report also drew concern from ACOSS' chief executive Cassandra Goldie, who said it highlighted how reliant many of the poorest Australians relied on telco services. 'It's absolutely devastating that people across Australia are going without food just to stay connected," Ms Goldie told "A phone should not be a luxury, but people are going without essentials to pay for it. "For many on the lowest incomes, a phone is the only way to stay in touch with loved ones, access government services or apply for jobs." She noted the report was "another warning" that low-income support payments were making it "impossible for people to meet the cost of essentials". 'When your income doesn't even cover food and rent, staying connected becomes another impossible choice and the system is clearly failing them," Ms Goldie said. 'Social security is meant to provide a safety net but right now it's locking people into poverty. "Without urgent action to lift payments above the poverty line, more people will be pushed into impossible choices just to survive. "We need urgent reform to lift JobSeeker and related social security payments so everyone can cover the basics.' The report showed some customers sought help before they missed payments but were turned away by their provider who said they could not help until payments were officially overdue. There were also reports that some telcos experienced errors that exacerbated financial pain for some customers. Impacted people also raised complaints with the TIO when telcos withdrew more than expected or processed payments on incorrect dates. 'Telcos need to actively rebuild trust with their consumers, and prioritise protecting consumers who are experiencing, or at risk of, financial hardship,' Ms Gebert said. 'We urge telcos to embed the flexibility and understanding that must be part of the way you do business when you provide an essential service to the community.' The recent report marks the first full year since the Australian Communications and Media Authority unveiled the Telecommunications (Financial Hardship) Industry Standard 2024 that requires telcos to establish and promote clear policies for financial hardship.
ABC News
6 days ago
- Business
- ABC News
Welfare groups join union push for housing tax shake-up ahead of productivity talks
The Australian Council of Social Services has thrown its weight behind calls to wind back property investor tax breaks, setting up a potential housing flashpoint ahead of the government's economic round table next fortnight. It comes days after the Australian Council of Trade Unions urged Labor to tackle negative gearing and capital gains tax reform, but Australia's peak welfare body is also pressing for the billions in extra revenue from the tax changes invested in social housing. In its submission, ACOSS said the 50 per cent capital gains tax discount is "certainly fuelling the housing crisis" and should be halved over five years. Negative gearing, it said, should be phased out entirely over the same period for existing investments. "We are very clear we would phase out the very generous 50 per cent tax discount and get it down to 25 per cent so there'd be some tax reward for property investment but nowhere near as generous," ACOSS chief executive Cassandra Goldie told the ABC. "If you've got capital, and you're thinking, where can I park it to really grow my wealth, you put it into property." ACTU secretary Sally McManus made a similar case on ABC's Insiders at the weekend, saying it was time to "bite the bullet" on property tax reform. While the two peak bodies are not coordinating their campaigns, their aligned positions revive a politically fraught debate Labor abandoned after losing the 2016 and 2019 elections with policies on negative gearing and capital gains tax. ACOSS wants revenue from the tax changes invested in social housing, arguing Australia has "among the highest home prices in the world" and rents that are "all too often unaffordable" with many tenants lacking security of tenure. The share of social housing has "fallen by one third from 6 per cent to 4 per cent over the last 30 years" — a trend it wants reversed to "at least its historic level of 6 per cent of dwellings by 2035, and to 10 per cent by 2045", with First Nations housing "a national priority". Nearly half of all Australian landlords had negatively geared properties in 2023, with the highest earners claiming tens of billions in tax concessions and loopholes. But business groups and some senior government figures privately argue welfare groups and the unions' proposed tax changes will do little to boost new housing supply, warning that investor demand underpins construction and removing incentives risks stalling projects. ACOSS's submission also urges faster action on climate change, calling for new building standards to achieve zero-carbon, climate-resilient homes and tougher rental rules to improve the energy performance of properties. The group said these measures would cut bills for low-income tenants while protecting them from extreme heat and weather. In recent weeks, the government has pared back expectations for the summit amid concern among the business community about a union-led ambush and fears the event could be used to justify tax crackdowns on employers and property investors. Despite the government billing the meeting as a contest of ideas, the ABC understands there will be no joint communique at its conclusion. Instead, Treasurer Jim Chalmers will deliver a wrap-up and nominate a handful of specific changes for implementation. Ahead of this year's election, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese dismissed speculation Labor was planning to scale back the housing tax breaks, after it emerged Mr Chalmers had asked Treasury to model the impact of changes. The treasurer has asked that any proposals must be budget-neutral or budget-positive, but that "all ideas are on the table". The three-day round table will be held at Parliament House from August 19 to 21.
The Guardian
06-07-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Australia news live: Chris Bowen travels to Pacific for Cop31 push; Coalition frontbencher calls for national cabinet after Melbourne attacks
Update: Date: 2025-07-06T21:10:03.000Z Title: Content: ACOSS is calling on the Reserve Bank of Australia to cut interest rates again tomorrow after the latest inflation data show that price pressures are continuing to ease. 'With inflation well within the RBA's target and decreasing, there is no reason to keep interest rates high,' said ACOSS acting CEO Jacqueline Phillips. People on low and modest incomes have borne the brunt of interest rate rises and desperately need relief. The economic conditions clearly support a rate cut. Phillips said a series of rate cuts now would open the door to stronger growth in jobs and help restore people's incomes after a decade of stagnation. Low unemployment should be celebrated, not feared. There is no evidence that our current unemployment rate is driving inflation. In fact, inflation continues to fall even with unemployment at these levels. We should be supporting job creation, not deliberately trying to push people out of employment to meet an arbitrary unemployment target. While welcome, rate cuts alone would not solve the living standards crisis for people who are hit the hardest, she added. We need an urgent increase to JobSeeker and other social security payments to lift them to a liveable level. We also need further investment in social housing and home energy upgrades for low-income renters to bring down energy bills. Update: Date: 2025-07-06T21:10:03.000Z Title: Welcome Content: Good morning and welcome to Monday's live news blog. The Albanese government will continue its efforts to host the Cop31 climate summit against stiff competition from Turkey, with climate and energy minister Chris Bowen travelling to the Pacific. And the opposition frontbencher Melissa McIntosh has called for the prime minister to convene an urgent meeting of national cabinet after a spate of alleged antisemitic attacks in Melbourne at the weekend. I'm Jordyn Beazley and I'll be taking you through the morning's news. Update: Date: 2025-07-06T21:10:03.000Z Title: Content: While there's no confirmation of who will host COP31 next year, energy minister Chris Bowen will travel to the Pacific this week to discuss Australia's joint bid with the region to host the climate summit. Australia is lobbying to host the summit against Turkiye, and prime minister Anthony Albanese promised during the federal election campaign to hold the summit – if we won – in Adelaide. Bowen will visit Tuvalu, Palau, Samoa, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands and says the trip will help deepen ties with the region. It makes sense that the world's biggest climate conference should be hosted by the region facing some of the world's biggest climate impacts. Australia and the Pacific's joint bid for COP31 is about ensuring that the region's voice shapes global climate action for the benefit of the Australian and Pacific people. South Australia's acting premier, Susan Close, says her state is a 'global leader' in decarbonisation, with 75% of its energy coming from renewables, and a target of net 100% renewables by 2027.
Daily Mail
24-06-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
Simple question renters are too afraid to ask their landlord: 'It is unacceptable'
Almost 70 per cent of tenants are too afraid to ask their landlords for repairs over fears their rents will be increased, according to a new survey. The University of New South Wales (UNSW) and the Australian Council of Social Services (ACOSS) surveyed 1,019 private renters. It found that 69 per cent feared that asking for repairs on their property would lead to a rent increase. Some 56 per cent were concerned it would lead to an eviction, while 52 per cent thought it would lead them to be blacklisted from further property rentals. Renters who were unemployed, living with a disability or had a low level of education were among the most worried about being evicted. Among the most common complaints about rental properties were problems with pests and structural issues. Thirty-one per cent of tenants faced pests like cockroaches and ants, 24 per cent dealt with leaks or flooding, 21 per cent had hot water problems, and 18 per cent reported bathroom mould. The report highlighted a 47 per cent rent surge over the past five years and urged national limits on price increases. ACOSS CEO Dr Cassandra Goldie AO said the survey showed the major failures of the Australian housing market. 'It is completely unacceptable that people in the private rental market are nervous about asking for essential repairs because they fear a rent increase or eviction notice,' Dr Goldie said. 'Everyone deserves to be able to live in secure homes without the constant fear of losing their home.' Dr Goldie called on state and federal governments to cap rent increases, abolish no-grounds evictions and boost social housing in order to create more housing security. Mission Australia CEO Sharon Callister said it showed the crisis in Australia's rental market was getting worse, and having major social impacts. 'It makes clear that urgent reform is needed to ensure homes are safe, secure and genuinely affordable, so that people and families can put down roots, have stability and certainty, and thrive in their communities,' she said. On a Reddit thread discussing the report, some Aussies shared their stories of problems they've had with their rentals. 'The goal is to fly so under the radar that your landlord forgets about their property altogether, any hint of movement and before you know it you'll be funding their next P&O cruise,' one said. 'Forget rent increases, I'm always more concerned about not getting a lease renewal. I can wear a rent increase but the costs of having to find a new rental extend beyond just monetary expenditure,' a second added. Last month it was revealed the Albanese government is set to fall short of its own housing target of 1.2million homes by 2029 by around 250,000. Housing Minister Clare O'Neil came under fire earlier this week for a social media post where she and ACT Labor MPs bragged about building just 17 social homes in Canberra in seven months. 'We're here in Canberra visiting some brand spanking new homes, what do you reckon Chris?' O'Neil said in a TikTok on Friday. In an awkward game of catch, she tossed the phone to Chris Steel, ACT Minister for Planning and Sustainable Development, who then turned the camera on himself. 'Pretty good, 17 class C adaptable homes for new residents,' said a grinning Steel. He then threw the phone to Labor MP David Smith, who added: 'A great example of two Labor governments working together and taking pressure off housing right here in Bean'. 'And the good news is we're just getting started,' O'Neil said after Smith had tossed the phone back to her. 'This is 17 out of 55,000 social and affordable homes that our government is going to deliver to Australians over the coming few years.'
SBS Australia
23-06-2025
- Politics
- SBS Australia
Iran retaliates, with attacks on US bases in the Middle East
Iran has retaliated against the United States, launching missile attacks at U-S military bases in Qatar and Iraq. Qatar says it has successfully intercepted the missiles fired at the Al Udeid Air Base, and there have been no casualties. The Ain Al Assad base in western Iraq has also been targeted. Iran claims the number of missiles it fired at the base in Qatar matches the number of bombs the U-S dropped on its nuclear sites over the weekend. A spokesman for the Iranian armed forces, Colonel Iman Tajik, says the strikes are designed to send an unequivocal message to the world. (Farsi, then translated* "The message of the decisive action by the sons of the nation in the Armed Forces is clear and direct to the White House and its allies: The Islamic Republic of Iran, relying on Almighty God and the steadfast support of its devout and proud people, will not leave any act of aggression against its territorial integrity, sovereignty, or national security unanswered under any circumstances." The Australian Council of Social Services says around one in eight Australian adults, and one in six children, are now living below the poverty line. That's around 3.3 million people. It comes as the Salvation Army has released new research about just how dire things are for the people it helps. In a survey of 3,500 people it supports, more than one-third said they can only wash with cold water, and 43 per cent say they cannot afford toilet paper, menstrual products, or soap. The cost of living crisis is also affecting children's education, with 34 per cent of people saying their children have missed school as they cannot afford either the petrol to drive them there, or the relevant public transport fares. The New South Wales government is trumpeting more spending on essential services in the state budget. Treasurer Daniel Mookhey will today hand down the budget, his third. He says his government has reduced the state's gross debt by more than nine billion dollars since they took office in 2023, freeing up more money to spend on essential services. This budget will allocated around nine billion dollars over four years on public school infrastructure, largely focused on growing suburban communities. There will be 700 million allocated to the new Bankstown Hospital in Sydney's west, and 270 million dollars for various aspects of the justice system, including police technology, courts, and public spaces. The biggest cohort of First Nations graduates from a single degree have been celebrated at Monash University in Melbourne. The Master of Indigenous Business Leadership, now in its fifth year, is co-designed and led by Indigenous business leaders, Elders and academics. This year's graduating class includes 17 students from more than 20 communities across the country. Kaley Nicholson, a 2025 graduate with family lines throughout Victoria and into New South Wales, says she is excited about embracing First Nations knowledge. "There is nothing more self-determined or self-determining than having your own business. You make every decision, the success and failure of that business really rests on your shoulders. And so that's an incredibly daunting thing to think about, but also it's so freeing." In tennis, Aussie Daria Katsakina's miserable build-up to Wimbledon has continued, with a defeat in the first round of the Eastbourne tournament, which she won last year. Australia's top-ranked female player, ranked number 11 in the world, has lost to New Zealander Lulu Sun, 7-5, 2-6, 6-3 on the English south coast. The windy conditions played havoc with Katsakina's high ball toss, contributing to her serving 11 double faults. There's been better news, however, for Queensland teenager Maya Joint. She's upset Tunisian Ons Jabeur in round one, 7-5, 6-2. Jabeur has made three major finals in her career.
