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| Tasmanian Council of Social Service | |
|---|---|
| Name | Tasmanian Council of Social Service |
| Formation | 1930s |
| Type | Non-profit peak body |
| Headquarters | Hobart, Tasmania |
| Region served | Tasmania |
| Membership | Community organisations, charities, co-operatives |
Tasmanian Council of Social Service is a peak body representing community service organisations across Tasmania, Australia, advocating for social justice, welfare reform, and anti-poverty measures. The organisation engages with state and federal institutions, liaises with unions and charities, and collaborates with research bodies and Indigenous organisations to influence policy and deliver services. It operates within a network that includes service providers, academic centres, and national councils to address housing, health, income support, and disability issues.
The organisation traces its roots to interwar welfare movements and postwar social policy debates that involved actors such as the Australian Council of Social Service, Tasmanian Legislative Council, and local charities including Salvation Army, St Vincent de Paul Society (Australia), and Anglicare Tasmania. In the 1960s and 1970s it engaged with national reforms influenced by figures connected to the Commonwealth of Australia welfare state and with inquiries like the Woodward Royal Commission-era debates. During the 1990s and 2000s it responded to policy shifts associated with the Keating government, Howard government, and state administrations, interacting with bodies such as the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare and the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Recent decades saw engagement with inquiries by the Tasmanian Auditor-General and collaboration with academic units including the University of Tasmania and policy centres like the Australia Institute.
The council's mission aligns with principles championed by organisations such as the United Nations, Australian Human Rights Commission, and advocacy groups like ACOSS. Activities encompass policy submissions to ministries including the Department of Social Services (Australia), participation in consultative forums convened by the Premier of Tasmania office, and campaigns alongside unions such as the Australian Council of Trade Unions and community networks including Community Legal Centres Australia. The council runs public campaigns drawing upon research from institutes like the Grattan Institute and collaborates with service providers such as Mission Australia, Foodbank Australia, and homelessness services coordinated through Shelter Tasmania.
Advocacy work addresses social security settings informed by legislation like the Social Security Act 1991 (Cth), housing policy debates linked to Commonwealth Rent Assistance, and disability reform related to the National Disability Insurance Scheme. The council makes submissions to parliamentary committees such as the Joint Select Committee on Australia’s Family Law System and engages with state inquiries into homelessness and child protection chaired by commissions similar to the Tasmanian Law Reform Institute. It campaigns on cost-of-living issues aligning with positions from Consumer Action Law Centre and collaborates with environmental and health stakeholders including Tasmanian Health Service and conservation groups active in interactions around regional development, such as WWF-Australia.
Program delivery has included community engagement projects comparable to those run by Anglicare Australia and capacity-building initiatives modelled on national frameworks like the Community Services Industry Alliance. Services frequently intersect with providers such as Centacare Tasmania and Aboriginal organisations involved with Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre and Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre (Launceston). The council supports local initiatives addressing food insecurity in collaboration with Fareshare Australia and housing support networks linked to Crisis Services Network and national homelessness strategies including Every Australian Counts-style campaigns.
The organisation is governed by a board and executive team with stakeholder representation drawn from non-government organisations, regional communities, and sector specialists connected to institutions such as Legal Aid Commission of Tasmania and peak bodies like Council on the Ageing (COTA). It operates using governance practices influenced by standards promoted by bodies such as the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission and reports outcomes in alignment with frameworks used by the Productivity Commission and the Australian Institute of Family Studies.
Funding sources include grants from state and federal programs administered by departments such as the Department of Premier and Cabinet (Tasmania), philanthropic support from trusts like the Ian Potter Foundation and partnerships with corporate donors and community foundations similar to Perpetual Limited. Collaborative partnerships extend to organisations such as University of Tasmania research centres, national peaks including ACOSS, and service networks such as Services Australia and Beyond Blue for mental health initiatives.
The council has influenced policy debates on income support, housing, and community services, contributing to submissions referenced by committees like the Senate Economics References Committee and local taskforces addressing homelessness and family violence influenced by reports from the Royal Commission into Family Violence. Criticisms have included debates over policy priorities raised by political organisations such as the Liberal Party of Australia and unions or community stakeholders who compare approaches with models from entities like Social Security Appeals Tribunal-era practices. Academic commentators from institutions including the University of Tasmania and think tanks such as the Institute of Public Affairs have contested elements of its policy positions, while some service providers debate resource allocation and program efficacy in forums mirroring those convened by the Tasmanian Council of Churches.
Category:Non-profit organisations based in Tasmania Category:Social policy in Australia