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Annual Report
Leading together
Inviting and motivating people and organisations to walk with us, because we are stronger together
The Hon Coralee O’Rourke MP
Dr Christian Rowan MP
QCOSS State Election Leaders Debate (October 2020)
Fortitude Valley Music Hall, Brisbane
Home / Leading together
A connected, engaged and strengthened membership
Over the past twelve months, QCOSS has focused on engaging with and responding to the needs of our members. By June 2021, our membership had grown to 511 members, including 138 individual members and 373 organisation members.
Our focus is on sharing relevant and timely information with members, creating meaningful capacity building opportunities and bringing the QCOSS community together. Over the year, we sent out 62,896 copies of our e-newsletter; and brought together more than 4,500 people through our signature events.
Fortitude Valley Music Hall, Brisbane
2020 Election Leaders Debate
Our State Election Leaders debate, moderated by Professor Susan Harris Rimmer - Director of the Griffith University Policy Innovation Hub - brought together the Honourable Coralee O’Rourke MP, Minister for Communities, Disability Services and Seniors, and Dr Christian Rowan MP, Shadow Minister for Communities, Disability Services and Seniors.
The debate covered the community service sector, cost of living, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander justice, child protection, youth justice, domestic family and sexual violence, disability and housing.
Member workshops
In September 2020, QCOSS CEO Aimee McVeigh visited Mackay, Townsville, Cairns and Toowoomba to share QCOSS’ 2021 advocacy agenda while gaining QCOSS’ member feedback about emerging community issues.
This content was used to shape QCOSS 2021 advocacy agenda and pre-budget submission. Overwhelmingly, members noted the worsening housing crisis and growing need for social housing.
Mackay
In Conversation series
QCOSS’ new In Conversation series gives the community service sector access to Queensland’s political leaders and policy makers. In December 2020, we welcomed newly appointed Minister for Communities, Housing and the Digital Economy, the Hon Leeanne Enoch MP (left), to discuss the Queensland budget.
In April 2021, Under Treasurer Rachel Hunter (right) discussed how the social service sector could influence and contribute to state government funding decisions and how government could use major investments to deliver long-term social policy outcomes.
2021 Budget Breakfast
Our sold-out annual budget breakfast was attended by 238 guests including QCOSS members, Queensland peak bodies and government departments. We were pleased to welcome Minister Enoch and Minister for Children and Youth Justice, and Multicultural Affairs, the Hon Leanne Linnard, along with the Treasurer and Minister for Investment, the Honourable Cameron Dick MP (pictured), who presented Queensland’s 2021 Budget and spoke about its impact on the social service sector.
Working with Australia's COSS network to progress national issues
In 2020-21, we collaborated with the Australia wide COSS network to progress issues of national importance, including the devastating economic impacts of COVID-19, the importance of adequate welfare payments, climate change impacts on vulnerable communities, and making energy and water affordable.
In July 2020, QCOSS, together with community service organisations across Australia, reiterated our support for ACOSS' ongoing Raise the Rate campaign.
The campaign aims to reduce poverty and inequality in Australia, by setting our minimum social security safety net at an income of at least $65 a day. Throughout 2020-21, QCOSS actively supported this campaign through submissions, research and media advocacy.
As the economic, social and ecological impacts of climate change become more regular and more dangerous, the need for action becomes more urgent.
In June and July 2020, QCOSS, alongside other COSS’, participated in the Emergency Leaders for Climate Action National Bushfire and Climate Summit 2020.
In November 2020, QCOSS joined an ACOSS-led coalition urging federal parliament to progress the Climate Change (National Framework for Adaptation and Mitigation) Bill 2020.
Cairns
Mount Isa
Making energy and water affordable and efficient is essential to combatting poverty and the economic devastation caused by COVID-19.
In October 2020, QCOSS was a signatory to the ‘Post-2025 Market Design Consultation Paper’ which called on the Energy Security Board to provide affordable, dependable and clean energy services for everyone.
QCOSS joined ACOSS’ healthy and affordable homes coalition, which called for the federal and state governments to stimulate the economy with an energy efficient and solar, low-income housing boom.
We were signatories to the ACOSS submission calling on the Australian Energy Market Commission to reform smart meter implementation so that they fulfilled their objective of making energy consumption effective and affordable.
In Australia, children can be jailed from the age of 10.
On June 16, 2021, COSS directors jointly called on the Commonwealth, state and territory governments to raise the age of criminal responsibility from 10 to 14 years old.
QCOSS runs the Queensland arm of the Raise the Age campaign petitioning federal and state governments to change the age of criminal responsibility.
Leading and driving our Peaks network
QCOSS facilitates the Queensland Peaks Network - a coalition of 22 community service sector peak bodies. In 2020-21, the Peaks Network met six times, working collaboratively on issues affecting the sector and jointly advocating to government on sector reform.