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newsletter www.tascoss.org.au Tasmanian Council of Social Service Inc. inside this issue September 2005 Industrial Relations and Welfare changes to put even greater pressure on struggling Tasmanians. With the Federal Government gaining a majority in the Senate on July 1, TasCOSS has been looking closely at some of the Government’s major legislative reforms and how they will impact on low-income and disadvantaged Tasmanians. Industrial Relations Reforms In May the Government announced its proposal to overhaul Australia’s industrial relations system. The sheer scope of the proposed changes is confronting and almost every Australian worker will be affected by the changes in some way. TasCOSS is concerned about the impact of the changes on vulnerable and disadvantaged Tasmanian workers - such as casual and low-skilled workers, single- parents and employees with a disability, mental illness or from a migrant or indigenous background. Under the proposed changes, the Government wants workers to enter into Australian Workplace Agreements (AWAs) or individual contracts with their employers that cover all aspects of their employment from their pay and entitlements, to their basic work conditions. These AWAs are confidential and workers risk dismissal if they share or compare the details of their contract with their colleagues. These agreements will essentially replace awards and collective bargaining agreements. AWAs will be bound to just five conditions enshrined by law - the minimum hourly pay, 4-weeks annual leave, 8-days sick leave, unpaid parental leave and maximum weekly working hours. The Government says that employers and employees should be trusted to negotiate their own terms of employment and that AWAs are merely the outcome of individuals freely engaging in negotiation and compromise. However, TasCOSS argues that logic can only be accepted if employers and employees are on an equal footing in such negotiations. The Government’s proposals offer nothing to ensure workers and especially low-income and low- skilled workers – are able to fairly and effectively bargain their own terms of employment beyond the five basic conditions mentioned above. Social Policy Report by Luke Martin : 1 From the CEO by Mat Rowell : 5 2005 Budget Season Wrap-Up : 6 Industry Development News by David Owen : 7 Groceries and alcohol a dangerous cocktail : 10 Stopress : 12 Aurora Pay As You Go by Kath McLean : 13 ACCC Consumer Consultative Committee Update : 14 Your consultation and communication structure between Centrelink and the community services sector Mat Rowell : 15 Home and Community Care Consumer Consultation Project : 18

TasCOSS Newsletter September 2005

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Page 1: TasCOSS Newsletter September 2005

newsletter

www.tascoss.org.au

Tasmanian Council of Social Service Inc.

inside this issue

Sept

embe

r 20

05

Industrial Relations and Welfare changes to put even greater pressure on struggling Tasmanians.

With the Federal Government gaining a majority in the Senate on July 1, TasCOSS has been looking closely at some of the Government’s major legislative reforms and how they will impact on low-income and disadvantaged Tasmanians.

Industrial Relations Reforms

In May the Government announced its proposal to overhaul Australia’s industrial relations system. The sheer scope of the proposed changes is confronting and almost every Australian worker will be affected by the changes in some way.

TasCOSS is concerned about the impact of the changes on vulnerable and disadvantaged Tasmanian workers - such as casual and low-skilled workers, single-parents and employees with a disability, mental illness or from a migrant or indigenous background.

Under the proposed changes, the Government wants workers to enter into Australian Workplace Agreements (AWAs) or individual contracts with their employers that cover all aspects of their employment from their pay and

entitlements, to their basic work conditions. These AWAs are confidential and workers risk dismissal if they share or compare the details of their contract with their colleagues. These agreements will essentially replace awards and collective bargaining agreements.

AWAs will be bound to just five conditions enshrined by law - the minimum hourly pay, 4-weeks annual leave, 8-days sick leave, unpaid parental leave and maximum weekly working hours.

The Government says that employers and employees should be trusted to negotiate their own terms of employment and that AWAs are merely the outcome of individuals freely engaging in negotiation and compromise.

However, TasCOSS argues that logic can only be accepted if employers and employees are on an equal footing in such negotiations.

The Government’s proposals offer nothing to ensure workers and especially low-income and low-skilled workers – are able to fairly and effectively bargain their own terms of employment beyond the five basic conditions mentioned above.

Social Pol icy Repor t by Luke Mar t in : 1

From the CEO by Mat Rowel l : 5

2005 Budget SeasonWrap-Up : 6

Indust ry DevelopmentNewsby David Owen : 7

Groceries and alcohol a dangerous cocktai l : 10

Stopress : 12

Aurora Pay As You Goby Kath McLean : 13

ACCC Consumer Consul tat ive Commit teeUpdate : 14

Your consul tat ion and communicat ion st ructure between Cent rel ink and the community services sectorMat Rowel l : 15

Home and Community Care Consumer Consul tat ionProject : 18

Page 2: TasCOSS Newsletter September 2005

From the CEO’s DeskMarch 2005

How, for example, can we expect the single parent working as an industrial cleaner, to negotiate the same level of conditions and remuneration with their employer that is consistent with what they are currently entitled to under their current awards?

What about a new migrant learning about accepted Australian standards for work, or even just the English language? Or a person with a physical or intellectual disability?

Our fear is that some people will be deliberately taken advantage of, by employers demanding they sign contracts that undermine existing standards and pay. This will push these already disadvantaged workers further down a path of inequitable social and economic attainment.

TasCOSS is also concerned about plans to abolish unfair dismissal laws for businesses with less than 100 employees. This will mean around 98% of Tasmanian workers could soon go to work everyday knowing that their employer could sack them instantly for no reason and with no grounds to appeal.

The Government is also proposing to transfer responsibilities for monitoring and adjusting the minimum wage from the Industrial Relations Commission to a new Australian Fair Pay Commission.

On the face of it, the proposed Fair Pay Commission looks awfully similar to the way the Americans set their minimum wage. That is a system that has kept the US minimum hourly rate of pay at the same level for no less

than an extraordinary eight years.

Centrelink payments are currently indexed to the minimum wage set by the Industrial Relations Commission. It’s hard to imagine what kind of social underclass Australia would now have if the weekly income of millions of Centrelink clients and low-income Australian workers had not increased since 1998!

TasCOSS’s elected policy development body, the Tasmanian Social Policy Council (TSPC) formally agreed at its July meeting for TasCOSS to make a public statement expressing the Tasmanian

non-government community sector‘s opposition to the Federal Government’s industrial relations reforms.

Our fear is that some people will be deliberately taken advantage of, by employers demanding they sign contracts that undermine existing standards and pay. This will push these already disadvantaged workers further down a path of inequitable social and economic attainment.

Page 3: TasCOSS Newsletter September 2005

It is not fair and it just does not make sense to financially penalise people already under enormous pressure in an effort to get them to look for work. It hasn’t worked in relation to the unemployed and Work for the Dole and there is no evidence that it will work for single-parents and people with disabilities.

Another major Federal Government announcement of the past few months has been the ‘Welfare to Work’ reforms announced in the May Federal Budget.

The Government’s overriding principle guiding these reforms is to encourage and enable more Australians off welfare and into employment.

That’s a principle TasCOSS wholeheartedly agrees with – that low-income and disadvantaged Australians who are able to, should be encouraged and assisted in becoming more engaged in their community through employment.

However, we differ from the Federal Government in the way we think that goal can be achieved.

The Government proposals target single-parents with school-aged children, people with disabilities and the very long-term unemployed.

From 1 July �006, single parents will be transferred onto the Newstart Allowance (unemployment benefits) when their youngest child reaches 6 years of age. People with disabilities who have been assessed as being able to work 15 hours or more a week will also be put onto Newstart Allowance. As Newstart recipients, these people will not only have to meet new obligations as registered job-seekers but also lose 10-�0% of the weekly income they would currently be entitled to on Disability and parental support pensions.

Take 10-�0% out of anyone’s income and they’ll feel it. But when you’re talking about a single mum with a couple of kids trying to make ends meet with an income of $�50 a week, or a person with a disability trying to pay high medical costs and you’re talking about a significant impact on these peoples lives.

We estimate that over four years, the entitlements of around �,800 Tasmanians with disabilities and 1,400 Tasmanian single parents will be affected by the changes.

Add children and dependents and we’re talking about over-10,000 low-income and disadvantaged Tasmanians who will be living on even lower household incomes under these reforms.

The Government’s plans do include significant provisions for new child-care places and specially targeted employment programs for people with disabilities.

However, what the plans do not include are incentives for these people to actively search for work or to engage in education and training programs.

At a time when every economic lobby in the country is bemoaning the skills shortage, under these reforms, people will actually lose money if they go into education and training programs, rather than stay on their current welfare payments by doing nothing.

It is not fair and it just does not make sense to financially penalise people already under enormous pressure in an effort to get them to look for work.

It hasn’t worked in relation to the unemployed and Work for the Dole and there is no evidence that it will work for single-parents and people with disabilities.

TasCOSS is participating in a national campaign to raise public awareness of the Welfare-to-Work reforms.

We have met with Tasmania’s federal parliamentarians from all sides of the political divide and we encourage you to contact your local MHR and Senators to express your concerns about the impact of these reforms on many Tasmanians already under enormous pressure.

You can do this by joining the National Action Network on welfare reform by visiting www.acoss.org.au

Welfare-to-Work Reforms

Page 4: TasCOSS Newsletter September 2005

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The proposed legislation would clean-up Tasmania’s sex industry. It would ban minors from being exposed to the industry in any way, protect the rights of sex workers and give police and the community some

The legislation is not a question of morality, or about condoning prostitution. Rather it is about protecting the interests of

Tasmania’s most at-risk and vulnerable workers.

Regulation of the sex industry would also give community service providers’ greater access to sex-workers in need of support and

Luke

Mar

tinSo

cial

Pol

icy

Offi

cer

TasCOSS, was joined by key community service organisations Anglicare Tasmania, the Salvation Army and the Catholic Social Justice and Peace Commission in expressing the community sector’s concern over the Government’s plans to grant yet another gambling licence in Tasmania, this time to British internet-gaming giant Betfair.

Our organisations attended a meeting with Premier Paul Lennon and Gaming Minister Jim Cox, in which we told the Government that the community sector will not support the introduction of any additional gaming operators into Tasmania without a comprehensive social and economic study into the impact of existing forms of gambling.

The Government has told us that they do not believe Betfair will appeal to the average Tasmanian punter, only the top-end of the market and therefore will not add to the pressure of problem gambling in this State. However at this stage, they have refused to undertake any research into the potential impact of Betfair on our community to support this claim.

What we do know, through Anglicare’s ‘House of Cards’ research on problem gambling in Tasmania, is that the promotion and marketing of gambling is a significant factor in influencing problem gamblers to have a punt. Betfair is an aggressive, cashed-up promoter of gambling in Britain and we are deeply concerned about their plans for Tasmania. We urge the Premier and State Government

to consider the interests of the Tasmanian community in any final decision regarding Betfair, not just the interests of the Tasmanian racing Industry.

Sex Industry Regulation

TasCOSS’s commitment to advancing the interests of the most vulnerable Tasmanians saw us to take a leading role in urging Tasmania’s parliamentarians to support legislation to finally regulate Tasmania’s secretive and underground sex industry.

Betfair

assistance, to hopefully improve their lives and help them get out of the industry.

TasCOSS will continue to urge Parliamentarians to support this sensible legislative response to a very real and for too long forgotten part of the Tasmanian community.

Luke Martin Policy Officer

Page 5: TasCOSS Newsletter September 2005

5

Housing Strategy Review, liquor licensing and welfare reform have all taken up considerable time in the office.

Luke Martin joined us in May in the social policy area and has ably picked up these policy areas and we have worked on these issues with a number of other community sector organisations in organized coalitions and joint media events to great success.

We are now moving into planning our Budget Priority Statement community consultations and will be running consultations with community sector members in each of the three regions early this month. As always, our BPS is our major piece of work for the year, and it is vital that our members and other community sector organisations participate in these consultations so that what we advocate for with government is based on your and your clients needs and experiences.

Can I also issue a reminder to several organisations who have not renewed their membership with us? In order to be able to vote at an AGM and in board elections, members need to be financial as of the first of July, so its important for us that membership renewals are received by this date. There are still several members who

priority area in our Budget Priority Statement and lobbying this year. As the community sector continues to grow at a reasonably rapid rate, the need for support services and resources for organisations to manage growth, deal with compliance and to provide quality services increases. Thus we would hope that in the coming year the state government will recognise this in the way that nearly every other state and territory government has and provide some resources to assist this growth and changing environment.

As part of our Community Sector Development Program we have planned three seminar sessions in the coming few months: • a training session for peaks and

other community organisations on Budget Priority Processes, for the �9th August,

• Insurance and risk management for the non-profit community services sector in both Hobart and Launceston on the �9th and �0th September respectively, and

• Human Rights train the trainer sessions in Hobart and Launceston in partnership with the Public Interest Advocacy Centre from Sydney in early November.

Social Policy

There have been a number of key social policy areas that have taken up our attention in the past few months as well, (as well as the traditional May budget busyness).Betfair, the Sex Industry Bill, Industrial Relations reform, Affordable

From the CEO

Since our last hardcopy newsletter in April TasCOSS has had an extremely busy few months. You would have been kept abreast of our activities and issues via our E-news bulletin each month, and we appreciate the positive feedback we have had about that initiative. However, there are a number of things that have been keeping us all busy that we haven’t been able to report to you in detail in those bulletins.

There are a number of articles scattered throughout this publication which deal with some of these issues in depth, but I will touch on some of them now.

Community Sector Development

Internally we have been doing some rethinking of our staffing model, and have now implemented a clearer separation of roles and responsibilities in the areas of sector development and social policy.

David Owen will be taking on Community Sector Industry Development and Policy work for the next twelve months. While he will be taking a break in Europe from mid August for three months, when he returns he will be continuing the work of the Sustainable Organisations Project and will also be driving our work in developing an industry plan, and in scoping out a full blown community sector capacity and development program. This is an area we intend to focus on significantly in the coming year, and we foreshadow that it will be a

Mat RowellCEO

Page 6: TasCOSS Newsletter September 2005

6

Home and Community Care (HACC) Project

2005 Budget Season Wrap-Up

This is the first TasCOSS newsletter since the Federal and State Budgets were brought down in May, so we thought it prudent to include a wrap-up of our assessment of the likely impact of both budgets on low-income and disadvantaged Tasmanians.

Of course, our main interest in the Federal Government’s �005/06 Budget was the much anticipated announcement of Welfare-to-Work reforms, which are discussed in more detail in this newsletter’s social policy report.

Aside from the Welfare-to-Work reforms, the federal budget sadly

We believe the mere fact that around 1,500 low-income and disadvantaged Tasmanians have already directly benefited from the Affordable Housing Strategy should be clear enough evidence for the Government that the Strategy is working and needs to be continued. With the numbers of Tasmanians looking for affordable housing

continuing to grow, the Premier must commit funding to continue the implementation of the Strategy beyond the end of this year.

Aside from the Welfare-to-Work reforms, the federal budget sadly offered little of significance for the 3 million Australians living in real hardship. A scornfully insignificant and misguided tax-cut, no incentives to get more low-income Australians into further education and training and nothing to alleviate the enormous pressure on our public dental and hospital waiting lists.

have not renewed, and in order to be an effective peak we need the power of a solid membership base behind us. I would urge all organisations who receive this newsletter and other material from us who are not financial members to consider joining us in our work in striving towards assisting community sector organisations to alleviate poverty and disadvantage in our community.

As always, I am happy to hear from any members and non-members who have particular concerns and suggestions about the community sector, your clients and the work of TasCOSS. I look forward to seeing many of you at our seminars and consultations around the state in the next six months.

RegardsMat RowellCEO

offered little of significance for the � million Australians living in real hardship. A scornfully insignificant and misguided tax-cut, no incentives to get more low-income Australians into further education and training and nothing to alleviate the enormous pressure on our public dental and hospital waiting lists.

Paul Lennon’s second Budget as State Premier and Treasurer was a mixed bag for low-income and disadvantaged Tasmanians. We all breathed a big sigh of relief at the details of long awaited increases in funding for disability services and mental health, as well as a pleasing expansion of the successful Partnerships to Jobs Program for the long-term unemployed.

However, we were equally concerned about what was missing

from the �005/06 State Budget, especially no financial commitment to continue the Government’s much-lauded Affordable Housing Strategy after funding for Stage 1 of the strategy runs out in December this year.

Instead the Premier promised only a ‘review’ of the Strategy, which TasCOSS is currently participating in.

Page 7: TasCOSS Newsletter September 2005

Sustainable Organisations Project

For some time, TasCOSS has been advocating that the non-government community services sector must be recognised as an industry sector – a large, rapidly growing and increasingly important industry at that. We have argued that, as with most other industries, we need a planning focus to ensure that we develop, not just grow. We have pointed to four inter-related challenges within that development process: role clarification for community service organisations (CSOs); good governance; quality improvement mechanisms; and workforce development.

As part of the ongoing engagement between our industry and the Department of Health and Human Services, TasCOSS has been the lead participant in various industry development processes initiated by the Agency Sector Forum (ASF, the main structure for collaboration between DHHS and the CSOs it funds). A series of important working groups has been established to focus this collaborative effort.

Workforce development

There is a clear recognition that DHHS and the non-government community services industry share common challenges with respect to workforce development. Both sectors frequently have problems recruiting and retaining appropriately skilled workers, and both sectors interact with higher education and vocational eduation and training (VET) institutions that don’t always offer the necessary ‘fit’

with their workforce needs.

Initial meetings between DHHS and TasCOSS led to an important forum late in �004, facilitated by the Office of Post-compulsory Education and Training (OPCET). It was agreed at this meeting that initial workforce development efforts should focus on the growing and problematic areas of disability services and mental health services. During �005, reference groups have been established, comprising agency and sector members, and a significant amount of work has been completed around the issues of recruitment approaches and training.

Good governance practice

The capacity of non-government CSOs to provide reliable, high-quality services depends crucially on the ability of elected boards of management to offer strategic focus, to ensure compliance with important regulatory requirements, and to support and manage the work of their organisations’ senior management. There are examples aplenty of good governance in our sector, but there are worrying signs that too many CSOs lack the governance capacities required in this increasingly complex and challenging environment.

The Good Governance Practice working group established by the Agency Sector Forum has a primary focus on identifying resources appropriate to CSO governing boards. Parallel with that focus is a shared agency-sector recognition that it is now appropriate that funded CSOs be obliged to regularly report on the

steps they are taking to ensure good governance practice in their organisations. Working group members are currently examining governance ‘checklists’ that might form the basis of a reporting format that could be incorporated in service agreements at a later stage.

CSOs can expect to hear more about the work of the Good Governance Practice working group in coming months, including information about recommended resources (documents, training opportunities, forums, etc). TasCOSS will be working with other peak bodies, as well as with DHHS, to encourage all CSOs to make their governance practices a major priority. We take the view that only those CSOs that can demonstrate appropriate governance should receive public funds for service provision. CSOs must decide whether they are to proactively attend to these governance issues themselves or have governance standards imposed by regulatory and/or funding bodies. There is no third option.

David OwenPolicy Officer

Industry Development News

Page 8: TasCOSS Newsletter September 2005

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The Agency Sector Forum has also establised, at the request of TasCOSS, an Evaluation/review working group. TasCOSS expressed concern that across the wide range of funding programs administered by DHHS, there was little apparent consistency of approach to the ways in which programs were reviewed and/or evaluated, and that similarly there was no coherent approach to assisting funded CSOs with quality improvement practices. The role of the working group is to ‘map’ the various approaches to review and evaluation in funding programs and to make recommendations back to ASF on ways in which these approaches may be better coordinated.

TasCOSS is aware that a number of CSOs are working hard to implement quality improvement programs, with many organisations seeking formal accreditation from external agencies. This is a challenging and often expensive process and it is important that CSOs be supported in these attempts. At the same time, an increasing number of funding programs are working towards the adoption of formal service standards (often national in focus). This process, too, will need to be incorporated into a comprehensive approach to quality improvement.

It will be readily apparent to CSOs that the above issues – workforce development, good governance, and quality improvement – are ultimately inseparable. The improvement of service quality requires appropriately skilled workers and managers, and depends crucially on the strategic focus, risk management and organisational support provided by skilled governing boards. TasCOSS has been pointing to these linkages for many, many years, and it is very pleasing to report on collaborative initiatives with DHHS that should go some way to building capacity in our critically important industry.

The improvement of service quality requires appropriately skilled workers and managers, and depends crucially on the strategic focus, risk management and organisational support provided by skilled governing boards.

Quality improvement processes

Page 9: TasCOSS Newsletter September 2005

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Incorporated as an Association?

The final piece of news on the industry development front falls into the ‘alert but not alarmed’ category. The Office of Consumer Affairs and Fair Trading has developed legislation (now approved by Cabinet) which will give Consumer Affairs the power to direct that organisations currently incorporated as Associations transfer to the federal ASIC jurisdiction as corporations.

TasCOSS is disappointed that this legislation was prepared without any meaningful consultation with the peak bodies representing non-government community service organisations, and we will be working to ensure that such peak bodies are engaged in discussions with Consumer Affairs designed to develop implementation guidelines for the proposed legislation.

In essence, Consumer Affairs may deem an organisation no longer suitable for incorporation as an Association on the basis of its financial turnover, its property holdings or the impact it has on the community. The legislation (Associations Incorporation Amendment Bill �005) does not offer any guidance as to just how big or

how wealthy or how impactful an organisation needs to be to warrant attention, and this is of concern. We have been reassured by Consumer Affairs Director Roy Ormerod that no specific organisations have been identified. It should also be noted that there are appeal provisions in the Bill.

Does it matter? Would it make any difference to a CSO if it was forced to move from Association to Company Limited by Guarantee? Yes, many organisations would face more complex reporting requirements and would almost certainly face higher audit costs as a result of more complex compliance requirements. Organisations may also face industrial implications, as moving to the federal sphere tends to mean that federal industrial awards apply instead of state awards. In this time of great industrial uncertainty, that is of particular concern.

Is there an upside? Again, yes. TasCOSS agrees that the regulatory regime under the Associations Incorporation Act is woefully inadequate for many of our large, complex CSOs. For many organisations, a shift to the ASIC regime may be entirely appropriate. However, TasCOSS remains concerned that care will need to be applied to any transfer process so that organisations are not financially disadvantaged. We also contend

that small and medium sized CSOs warrant appropriate scrutiny from Consumer Affairs, not just the large organisations. Further, just what constitutes a ‘large’ CSO these days? Many organisations have impressive looking budgets but have very few ‘head-office’ staff to deal with compliance/reporting matters. We will be raising these matters, and many others, with Consumer Affairs and will keep members informed of progress.

David OwenPolicy Officer

(Note: By the time you are reading this newsletter, David will have departed for extended leave overseas. Inquiries on industry development issues should be directed to Mat Rowell until David returns to work early in December.)

Does it matter?

Would it make any difference to a CSO if it was forced to move from Association to Company Limited by Guarantee?

Page 10: TasCOSS Newsletter September 2005

10

Groceries and alcohol a dangerous cocktail

TasCOSS last month joined with the Alcohol, Tobacco and other Drugs Council of Tasmania (ATDC), the Salvation Army and Anglicare Tasmania in opposing applications by Woolworths to establish BWS-Cheaper Liquor outlets in Kingston and Bridgewater. In addition to forwarding a formal objection to the applications, TasCOSS offered verbal evidence at a hearing of the Liquor Licensing Board. In that evidence, we sought to stress three main concerns:

Groceries are benign. Alcohol is not.

Social harm arises from alcohol consumption when its use ceases to be the subject of conscious, deliberate decision-making – when it becomes an unquestioned, taken-for-granted practice: a habit, in short. The corporate world is adept at marketing products in such a way as to encourage us to regard their consumption as ‘natural’, as an ordinary part of everyday life. Don’t think about it, ‘just do it’.

The linkage of grocery shopping and the purchase of off-license liquor is one such attempt to link the benign with the potentially harmful. By co-locating a liquor outlet with a supermarket, by cross-promoting products (BWS adds in Woolies catalogues, frequent shopper points redeemable for liquor, liquor purchases ‘earning’ fuel-discount vouchers, etc), shoppers are lured into the habitual practice of adding liquor to their shopping trolleys. Milk, bread, cereal, fruit, vegies and booze. All the major food groups!

TasCOSS argued that out community must strive to encourage consumers to be aware of what they are doing – irrespective of the consumption item, but especially when it is known that the item has the potential for harm. We acknowledge that co-locating liquor outlets in, or near, supermarkets would add ‘convenience’ for shoppers. However, we reject the argument that convenience is an inherently good thing. When it comes to potentially harmful products, it may be that it takes a little

inconvenience to force many of us to properly ask ourselves if we actually need that item, to make shopping a conscious process rather than a habit.

The Tasmanian Government has made it abundantly clear that supermarkets must not co-locate with liquor outlets. In �004, then Treasurer Crean said that “the removal of restrictions

on the operations of off-licence holders should not be seen as an opportunity by supermarket operators or other retailers to locate bottle shops in such a way

that they are effectively part of their supermarkets or retail outlets …”. We urged the Licensing Board to accept the spirit of Tasmanian Government policy and reject the Kingston application, which would locate a BWS outlet no more than 50 metres from the entrance to a Woolworths supermarket.

The corporate world is adept at marketing products in such a way as to encourage us to regard their consumption as ‘natural’, as an ordinary part of everyday life. Don’t think about it, ‘just do it’.

Page 11: TasCOSS Newsletter September 2005

11

A licensing, not a planning decision

TasCOSS opposed the Bridgewater application even though there is no Woolworths supermarket in that suburb. While this may seem odd, we actually expressed the view that we were more concerned because there was not currently a Woolies supermarket there! Why? Because, if the BWS is granted a licence first, the later process of co-locating a supermarket nearby would not be brought to the attention of the Licensing Board. It would be treated as an ordinary planning matter, not a licensing one. Ask yourself this – in how many locations are there Coles supermarkets without a Woolies version nearby? Not many, but Bridgewater is one such location. Is it entirely unreasonable to expect that at some stage in the foreseeable future a Woolies may appear on the Brighton horizon?

At the Board hearing, Woolies were prepared – under cross-examination – to accept a condition on their licence that they would forfeit that licence in the event that they built a supermarket on the Green Point Road site. No mention was made of Covehill Fair, less than a kilometre down the road, where Coles currently operates. TasCOSS views this ‘reverse-order’ development issue as a worrying loophole in the current licensing regime, and one that the Tasmanian Government should attend to by amending the relevant legislation.

Adding pressure to a vulnerable community

The legislation requires the Commissioner to ensure that any new licence is in the best interests of the community. In this respect, the Bridgewater application is crucially important, because if Woolies are able to gain an expansion of liquor outlets in this area, they will essentially neutralise this part of the legislation. That is, if the Board accepts that no social harm would result from greater outlet density in Bridgewater, then it would be impossible for the social harm argument to gain traction in any future application elsewhere.

TasCOSS argued that the Bridgewater-Gagebrook community is a precarious, vulnerable one. Despite the impressive community development work being done by organisations such as BURP and the Gagebrook Community House, this is a community marked by very low incomes, very high dependency on government income sources, low employment levels, and low educational attainment. So what? Are we in danger of offering a patronising perspective on the capacity of low socio-economic status communities being inherently incapable of handling access to liquor? Should Battery Point residents be able to walk down to their well-stocked off-licence while Bridgewater residents are denied such a facility? We argued to the Board that Bridgewater was not disadvantaged in its current access to liquor, but that there was ample evidence that increasing the density of outlets would lead to greater harm – a point readily accepted by the Tasmanian Government in framing the current legislation.

The Brighton municipality has 8�00 households relying on Centrelink payments, and 6�00 of those households have been receiving those payments for over two years. Average annual income is over $�000 lower than the Tasmanian average (which in turn is $6000 lower than the national average). Some 18% of households in Brighton are sole parent households (compared to 10% across Tasmania). Like it or not, this is an area that struggles with issues like alcohol, and it would be irresponsible for the Board to permit an expansion of liquor outlets without first satisfying itself that appropriate safeguards were in place.

We will keep members advised of the Board’s decisions on Kingston and Bridgewater. In the event that either is approved, it is likely that the coalition of organisations mentioned above will seek to lobby the Tasmanian Government to tighten the applicable legislation to ensure that such decisions cannot reoccur.

We argued to the Board that Bridgewater was not disadvantaged in its current access to liquor, but that there was ample evidence that increasing the density of outlets would lead to greater harm – a point readily accepted by the Tasmanian Government in framing the current legislation.

Page 12: TasCOSS Newsletter September 2005

1�

Stoppress

The Licensing Board brought down its decision regarding Woolworth’s application to open BWS bottle shops in suburban shopping centres in Kingston and Bridgewater, just prior to this newsletter going to print.

The Board rejected the Bridgewater application, but granted the Kingston licence.

The board noted in its decision to reject the Bridgewater application the ‘convincing argument presented by TasCOSS’ on the negative social and economic impact of additional liquor outlets. The board found that Woolworth’s had not presented sufficient evidence to demonstrate that the Bridgewater community needed, or wanted an additional liquor outlet in their local community.

The board granted the Kinston application saying that although the Licensing Act was explicit about banning liquor sales directly inside supermarkets, this did not extend to liquor outlets in shopping centres.

We are extremely concerned about the impact of this decision, as it practically gives Woolworths the

green-light to open their boutique bottle shops in every shopping centre across the State that has a Woolworth’s supermarket. With Tasmania already having some of the highest rates of alcohol misuse in the country, this is the last thing we need.

TasCOSS has called on the Government to urgently step in and

tighten its licensing legislation to ensure Tasmania does not go down the ill-fated path of default-liquor deregulation

The board noted in its decision to reject the Bridgewater application the ‘convincing argument presented by TasCOSS’ on the negative social and economic impact of additional liquor outlets.

Page 13: TasCOSS Newsletter September 2005

1�

Kath McLeanPolicy Officer, Consumer Issues

TasCOSS has taken a keen interest in Aurora Energy’s pre-payment meter (PPM) system, Aurora Pay As You Go (APAYG) and provided a detailed submission to the Tasmanian Energy Regulator in the course of his recent investigation into the system. We have also been involved, along with Anglicare Tasmania, in discussions with Aurora about ways that the system can be improved.

Our concerns centre on the absence for APAYG users of many of the consumer protection measures that are afforded to households with standard ‘black meters’. We are concerned about self-disconnections since the pre-payment meter technology used in Tasmania is not able to record disconnections and we do not know how many households

are self-disconnecting or for how long. This can mask problems of electricity affordability and impede the delivery of assistance to people in need.

We are also concerned that people on low incomes are switching to APAYG in order to avoid large unaffordable quarterly bills. We fear that people may not understand that by signing on to APAYG, they are forgoing a range of consumer protections offered to those with standard meters.

Similar concerns are held by many community sector and welfare groups in other states who strongly oppose the introduction of PPMs in their jurisdictions. Tasmania is the only Australian state that permits the widespread use of pre-payment meters. TasCOSS is keen to see

Aurora Pay As You Go

– is it the best option for people living on low incomes?

independent research carried out on PPM use in Tasmania and is seeking funding for that purpose.

TasCOSS has prepared a paper titled Why APAYG is not the best option for people living on low incomes. Full copies of the paper are available from the TasCOSS website or by contacting Kath McLean at TasCOSS.Phone: (0�) 6��1 0�55 e-mail: [email protected]

Page 14: TasCOSS Newsletter September 2005

14

TasCOSS continues its participation in the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s Consumer Consultative Committee which meets quarterly. The Committee comprises representatives from most states and territories and from a range of organisations including the Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia, the Australian Consumers Association, the Australian Financial Counselling and Credit Reform Association, the Consumers Federation of Australia, the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (Sydney) and Tangentyere Council (Alice Springs).

Issues discussed recently include:• problems with elecommunications services (contracts, point-of- sale information provision, mobile network coverage issues and unexpectedly high bills), • two-part pricing practices (for instance, airlines advertising only one part of the total price – the federal government now intends to outlaw the practice),• unfair contracts (eg, some contracts for gym memberships, weight loss programs, mobile phones),• debt collection practices, and• internet fraud prevention.

ACCC Consumer Consultative Committee Update

The committee is also provided at each meeting with a report of the ACCC’s recent activities from Graeme Samuel, the Commission’s Chair and other ACCC staff.

The Consumer Consultative Committee is closely involved with the Commission’s Disadvantaged and Vulnerable Consumers Campaign that seeks to highlight the particular problems faced by such consumers and to ensure that businesses do not ‘take advantage of disadvantage’. The Commission actively encourages consumer groups and community sector organisations to refer complaints

from disadvantaged and vulnerable consumers to the ACCC, and has a specific Disadvantaged and Vulnerable Consumers Campaign Referral Guide for the purpose. Copies of the guide are available from TasCOSS and the guide is also downloadable on the TasCOSS website (www.tascoss.org.au).

For further information about the Campaign or the Consumer Consultative Committee, contact Kath McLean at TasCOSS. Phone: 6��1 0�55 or [email protected]

Kath McLeanPolicy Officer.

The Consumer Consultative Committee is closely involved with the Commission’s Disadvantaged and Vulnerable Consumers Campaign that seeks to highlight the particular problems faced by such consumers and to ensure that businesses do not ‘take advantage of disadvantage’.

Page 15: TasCOSS Newsletter September 2005

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In May �00� TasCOSS staff commenced a series of discussions with Centrelink about ways for the sector to communicate with Centrelink and input into Centrelink operational policy. In March this year TasCOSS on behalf of the community sector signed a Protocol with Centrelink Managers in relation to how each of us will communicate and consult with the other.

Both Centrelink and the sector are interested in providing clear communication channels in relation to policy and management issues, as well as at the local level in keeping abreast of staff changes, service delivery issues and local activities in Centrelink offices.

The protocol outlined two tiers of collaboration between the sector in Tasmania and Centrelink: 1. Service delivery and Operational policy and strategic management consultations; and�. Area based collaboration and cooperation between regional staff and community organisations.

For the past six months Centrelink’s Southern Customer and Community Partnership team have invited our attendance and input into their meetings which occur every six to eight weeks. When this invitation arrives, we email TasCOSS members and stakeholders inviting either your agenda items and/or your attendance. We have had some reasonable conversations with Centrelink but we need your input.

Your consultation and communication structure between Centrelink and the community services sector.

The meetings are an important opportunity for both the community sector and Centrelink staff to discuss mutual issues of concern, provide productive feedback, and identify opportunities for more effective collaboration.

Please contact myself or Luke Martin at TasCOSS if you wish to participate in this process, and look out for the emails seeking agenda items and attendance.

Agency-Sector Forums: Non-Government Community Service Organisations are also encouraged to suggest issues to be raised in our regular Agency-Sector Forums.

These forums bring together senior Department of Health and Human Services officials, including Directors, with representatives from the Community sector to discuss issues and share information on new programs and policies.

This is a fantastic opportunity for the sector to raise our concerns directly to the upper echelons of the Department and TasCOSS would welcome suggestions of issues to be raised at our next forums, again please contact myself or Luke Martin at TasCOSS to discuss any issue you might like raised on your behalf.

Mat Rowell CEO

Both Centrelink and the sector are interested in providing clear communication channels in relation to policy and management issues, as well as at the local level in keeping abreast of staff changes, service delivery issues and local activities in Centrelink offices.

Page 16: TasCOSS Newsletter September 2005

16

This is an open invitation for those with an interest in alcohol, tobacco and/or other drug policy and service delivery issues to engage in discussion about how best to meet the challenges facing the sector.

Inaugural Annual Symposium & AGM‘Future Directions for the Tasmanian Alcohol, Tobacco & other Drugs Sector’

Friday 30 September 2005Hobart Function & Convention Centre 10:00am – �:�0pm

GUEST SPEAKERS

Donna Bull CEO Alcohol & Drug Council of Australia (ADCA)David Crosbie CEO Odyssey House Victoria & Member – Australian National Council on Drugs (ANCD) Sylvia Engels A/State Manager Alcohol & Drug Service, DHHS

RSVP Friday ��rd September Ph 6��4 ��80

Page 17: TasCOSS Newsletter September 2005

1�

Having a large and diverse membership base is our best bet in representing the interests of low income and disadvantaged Tasmanians and community sector organisations and in having an impact. The power of our membership base assists us in this work.

TasCOSS members can be organisations and individuals and receive a range of unique benefits:

• Discounted rates to all TasCOSS events, including our Dorothy Pearce Dinner and Address, and our exciting Seminar Program and publications

• Discounted advertising and promotional space in our publications

• An opportunity to nominate for and vote for the Tasmanian Social Policy Council and the TasCOSS Board

• An opportunity to participate in ongoing consultations and forums which provide us with the information we need to develop good social policy.

Lend your weight and add your voice to your peak body by joining or renewing your membership of TasCOSS now.Please contact the office for a membership application kit or download the form from our website at tascoss.org.au

Dorothy Pearce Address TasCOSS is pleased to announce that the �005 Dorothy Pearce Address will be delivered by Tasmanian-born, ANZ Chief Economist Saul Eslake. Tasmanian Premier Paul Lennon will also attend and speak at the Dinner. The Dorothy Pearce Address will be held on Wednesday 19th October. Initiations will be distributed shortly.

TasCOSS AGMThe TasCOSS Annual General Meeting will be held on Wednesday 19th October. Current financial members of TasCOSS will be entitled to nominate and participate in TasCOSS Board elections. Agendas will be distributed to members closer to the meeting. Insurance Training for Not for Profit Organisations. TasCOSS and the New South Wales Council of Social Service (NCOSS) are hosting an Insurance Training Session for Not for Profit Organisations. The Training will explain many of the everyday challenges not for profit organisations face with insurance, including public liability and why you need it and what you are, and are not covered for under specific insurance policies. We are hosting a training session in both the North and

Chances are, if you are reading this newsletter and haven’t recently signed a cheque for membership of your peak body, that you are not currently a member.

South:

LauncestonThursday �9th September , 10.�0am – 4pm Phil Leonard Room, Launceston Library

Civic Square, Launceston

Hobart Friday �0th September 9.�0-�pm Glenorchy Civic Centre

Cooper Street, Glenorchy

CostTasCOSS Members: $�5Non Members: $45, Price includes lunch.

Interested? Call Jess at TasCOSS on 6��1 0�55.

Are you a TasCOSS Member?

Page 18: TasCOSS Newsletter September 2005

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The Annual Report for �004-�005 is complete and is available for downloading from the TasCOSS website. The report focuses on the needs of frail aged people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds.

The Project Officer consulted 172 people from at least �0 different language and cultural groups. Many of the issues raised echo concerns expressed in previous consultations e.g. the need for community transport or for more assistance with spring cleaning.

Migrants do raise particular concerns many of which relate to language and cultural differences and the range of recommendations in the HACC report address these.

The key finding of the consultations is the very low level of knowledge and understanding among migrants of the services that are available to them through the HACC program. We have recommended that a concerted

Advertising Members Non-membersFull page $�0 $110Half page $40 $�0Quarter page $�5 $40

Inserts Members Non-members $85 $1�0

TasCOSS newsletter advertising and inserts rates - 2005

Home and Community Care (HACC)Consumer Consultation Project

effort be made to disseminate information to CALD consumers and potential consumers and also to establish mechanisms to ensure coordination of services to CALD people and ongoing input from CALD community representatives into the HACC planning process.

Page 19: TasCOSS Newsletter September 2005

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What is the co-contribution to super?From 1 July 2004, the Federal Government will provide a co-contribution of $1.50 for each $1.00 of after-tax contributions made by employees. The maximum co-contribution of $1,500 is reduced by 5 cents for each dollar of income over $28,000 (assessable income plus reportable fringe benefits), cutting out at $58,000. The co-contribution only applies to contributions made from after-tax income. Salary sacrifice contributions to super are not eligible for a co-contribution.

How do you claim a co-contribution?Just make an after-tax contribution to your super fund (it must reach your fund by 30 June 2005 to count for the 2004-2005 financial year) and lodge an income tax return. You don’t have to fill anything out regarding the co-contribution on your tax return. The Australian Tax Office (ATO) will work out if you are eligible for a co-contribution using information from your return and your super fund.

If you are eligible, the ATO will then pay the co-contribution directly into your super account where it must remain until you retire.

To find out if you may be eligible for the co-contribution, visit www.ato.gov/super or call 13 10 20.

If you’ve been thinking about making

personal contributions to your

superannuation, here’s an extra incentive

– you may be eligible for a Government

co-contribution of up to $1,500

This information has been supplied by HESTA Super Fund (H.E.S.T. Australia Limited CAN 006 818 695 AFSL No 235249) and is of a general nature. It is not a substitute for professional advice and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or specific needs so you should look at your own financial position and requirements before making a decision. You may wish to consult an adviser when doing this. Contact HESTA on 1800 813 327 for more information and a copy of the Fund’s Product Disclosure Statement which should be considered when making a decision about HESTA.

Page 20: TasCOSS Newsletter September 2005

PO Box 11�6Sandy Bay

Tasmania �006

P - 0� 6��1 0�55F - 0� 6��� 61�6

E – [email protected]

www.tascoss.org.auJessica PrinsAdministration Trainee

Val KitchenerHACC Project Officer

Kath McLeanPolicy Officer, Consumer Issues

Mat RowellChief Executive Officer

David OwenPolicy Officer

Luke MartinSocial Policy Officer

Lynne BrowningAdministration Manager

The Tasmanian Council of Social Service Inc. provides a voice for Tasmanians affected by poverty and inequality and acts as a peak council for the community service organisations that serve, support and work for them.

For 44 years TasCOSS has worked to eliminate poverty and create a more equitable society by tackling the causes of disadvantage, not just the symptoms.

TasCOSS regularly meets with political leaders and key decision makers, and participates in a number of important committees and other fora.

TasCOSS is also part of a national network, which comprises Councils of Social Service in all states and territories, and The Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS), which addresses social, economic and other reforms at the national level.

Help us give a voice to Tasmanians affected by poverty and inequality.