WACOSS

21/10/2026

The tabling of this Bill in WA Parliament today to modernise WA’s anti-discrimination law is indeed a very welcome and significant step forward.

WACOSS shares Rainbow Futures WA’s sentiment that WA’s LGBTIQA+ community has waited too long for something that every Western Australian has a fundamental right to: safety from vilification, protection from discrimination, and equal treatment under the law.

Attorney General Tony Buti has announced he will be tabling a Bill tomorrow in State Parliament to modernise WA's anti-discrimination law.

This is a very welcome and very significant step forward. LGBTIQA+ Western Australians have waited a long time for something most people take for granted: safety from vilification, protection from discrimination, and equal treatment under the law.

We'll have more to say as we find out more about the specifics of the Bill. And we'll be working in collaboration with Equality Australia, our member organisations and community partners to make sure the new Equal Opportunity Act lives up to its name.

19/10/2026

Are you in the Joondalup area?

Fair Food WA is hosting a static display at Clarkson Library this week as part of Anti Poverty Week 2026 and with a particular focus on World Food Day.

Community members are invited to stop by take a look! It's a great opportunity to reflect on our food security system in Western Australia.

The display will be up until Friday afternoon!

15/10/2026

More than $1.5 million has now reached frontline food relief organisations across WA through the Food Relief and Access Support Grants program, helping keep food on tables, support rising demand, and ease cost‑of‑living pressures in communities across our State.

A huge thank you to the WA Government for recognising the urgency and investing in practical, targeted support. These grants are already making a real difference for local organisations, many of whom are volunteer‑run and facing unprecedented demand.

With just under $500,000 remaining, eligible organisations are encouraged to apply soon.

Read more - link in comments

14/10/2026

Three years on, the blue dots still matter.

Wednesday 14 October marks three years since the Voice to Parliament Referendum.

The national result told one story. But this image tells another.

The blue dots show communities where a majority voted Yes, including many remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities that strongly supported the Voice. At Garma this year, Noel Pearson called them the“blue-dot communities”. ( https://tinyurl.com/4fpm2dac )

Three years later, the responsibility to listen, learn and stand alongside Aboriginal people and communities remains.

At a time of disconnection and racism, the community services sector has an important role to play.

💙 We can choose connection over division.

💙 We can stand up against racism in our policies, systems and communities.

💙 We can listen to and stand alongside Aboriginal people and Aboriginal-led organisations.

💙 We can build inclusive, connected communities where everyone belongs.

Next May, WACOSS is proud to be working in partnership with the Council of Aboriginal Services WA on Day One of the WACOSS Conference:
Confronting Racism: Understanding Our Role

If we are serious about Closing the Gap, partnerships cannot be transactional. They must be grounded in equity, shared decision-making and a clear commitment to confronting racism.
We will keep listening. We will keep learning. We will keep speaking up. And we will keep being allies.

Because stronger, fairer and more connected communities are built when we stand together.



*Blue dots show polling locations where a majority voted Yes in the 2023 Voice Referendum. Map and analysis: Jesse Reilly, using Australian Electoral Commission and Australian Bureau of Statistics data

13/10/2026

13/10/2026

13/10/2026

No one should have to choose between an affordable home and a safe one.

Homes are where people live, sleep, care for one another, and find shelter and security. For many, they are central to wellbeing, stability, and a sense of belonging. However, the way homes are planned, built, financed, and maintained can either reduce disaster risk or contribute to it.

As Western Australia moves into the high-risk weather season, the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction serves as a timely reminder of the role we all play in keeping our communities safe.

This year's theme, Resilience Starts at Home, calls on governments, the private sector, not-for-profit organisations, community leaders, and households to take practical action to reduce disaster risk where it matters most: at home.

Together, we can strengthen resilience, protect what matters, and build safer communities for the future.

12/10/2026

This Anti-Poverty Week, we’re asking: what would it take to end poverty in WA?

We’re bringing together voices from across our communities to share experiences, perspectives and ideas for change.

And we want to hear from you too!

📸 Add your photo to our Selfie Wall
💬 Share one of our social media tiles
🎥 Record your own message and tag

We all have a part to play, so add your voice this week. Visit https://www.noplaceforpoverty.org.au/anti-poverty-week to download resources and learn more.

12/10/2026

New figures from the Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre's 2026 Poverty Snapshot Report, funded by Anglicare WA and WACOSS in partnership with No Place for Poverty, paint a concerning picture of poverty in Western Australia.

The report found that around 456,000 Western Australians, including 99,000 children, are now living below the poverty line, representing 15.1% of the state's population. Just five years ago, that figure sat at 11.8%.

One of the report's most striking findings is that around four in ten people experiencing poverty rely on wages and salaries as their main source of income, highlighting that employment is no longer a guarantee of financial security.

Combined with rising housing costs and ongoing cost-of-living pressures, these findings reinforce what community organisations across WA are seeing every day: the cost-of-survival crisis is becoming more deeply entrenched.

Western Australians need more than short-term relief. We need coordinated action that addresses the drivers of poverty and ensures everyone can afford to live with dignity and have the opportunity to thrive.

View the full report: https://tinyurl.com/yfdmze6h

06/10/2026

93 leaders. One message.

The community services sector cannot continue to do more with less. Ahead of the long weekend, Community Employers WA and WACOSS brought together 93 CEOs and senior leaders from across Western Australia to discuss one of the biggest challenges facing our sector: ensuring essential community services remain sustainable and accessible for the people who rely on them.

The conversation focused on three critical issues:

•The current WA indexation formula is creating a growing funding gap, as it does not keep pace with legally required wage increases and rising service delivery costs.

• Contracts that have remained underfunded for years without proper review.

• The workforce and funding impacts of the Fair Work Commissions gender undervaluation decision.

What struck us most was the strength of the collective commitment in the room. Organisations may work in different communities and across different service areas, but the challenges are shared and so is the determination to find solutions.

This forum was about more than funding. It was about ensuring people can continue to access support when they need it, whether thats help with housing, financial hardship, disability, mental health, family support or community connection.

These services are part of the social fabric of our communities and play a vital role in strengthening social cohesion, wellbeing and resilience.

Thank you to everyone who attended, shared their experiences and contributed so openly to the discussion. There was a real sense of momentum and purpose in the room. Collectively, we are stronger. Together, we can build a stronger, more sustainable community services sector for Western Australia.