Promoting solutions that tackle, not perpetuate, disadvantage.

Our policy submissions contain the voices, insights, and priorities of our members and frontline services. Every submission represents a collaborative effort: grounded in firsthand sector expertise, responsive to emerging challenges, and designed to inform decisions that affect the most vulnerable communities.

Youth Justice and Policing

Domestic and Family Violence & Safety

From sector insight to policy influence

Police Powers and Responsibilities
(Making Jack’s Law Permanent)
and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2025
QCOSS opposed expanding and permanently establishing police powers, without evaluation and sufficient safeguards, raising concerns about disproportionate impacts on vulnerable communities and children.
Making Queensland Safer
(Adult Crime, Adult Time) Amendment Bill 2025
QCOSS cautioned against punitive youth justice reforms, urging investment in prevention and community-based supports instead of harsher sentencing. Adult sentencing frameworks are not fit-for-purpose for children.
Youth Justice (Monitoring Devices)
Amendment Bill 2025
QCOSS raised concerns on a trial which enables the use of electronic monitoring devices on children as young as 15 years old in certain circumstances. Our concerns included that the trial is not evidence-based and does not demonstrate sufficient regard for the human rights of children.
Queensland Police Service Watch-House Review
QCOSS contributed sector perspectives on the conditions in watch-houses, advocating for the rights and safety of children and young people held in police custody, and maintaining that children should not be detained in adult watch-houses. QCOSS also argued Queensland Police Service procedures and practices could be improved to reduce the number of children admitted to watchhouses.
Making Queensland Safer Bill 2024
QCOSS opposed harsher youth justice measures and argued that punitive policies fail to improve safety and instead called for evidence-based early interventions. QCOSS stated that these laws would compound the disproportionate impact that the youth justice system in Queensland has on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and their families.
Australia’s Youth Justice
and Incarceration System
QCOSS advocated for national reform to shift the focus from incarceration to community-led, evidence-based approaches proven to reduce reoffending. QCOSS believes the way forward must be shaped with First Nations leadership and a clear commitment to the human rights of children.

Domestic and Family Violence Protection and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2025
QCOSS welcomed efforts to improve responses to domestic and family violence but strongly opposed the introduction of Police Protection Directions, citing risks to victim-survivors’ safety, misidentification, and over-criminalisation of vulnerable communities.
Queensland Law Reform Commission Review of Particular Criminal Defences
The QLRC is reviewing particular criminal defences to ensure they align with current societal values and address issues like DFV. Our submission supported reforms to current legislation to better support DFV victim-survivors, including new streamlined self-defence provisions and potential partial defences that are victim-centred. The QLRC report is due December 2025.
Penalties and Sentences (Sexual Offences) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2025
QCOSS broadly welcomed the implementation of specific recommendations from the Queensland Sentencing Advisory Council following their inquiry regarding sentencing sexual violence. We also outlined a need for future evaluation to determine whether changes to the use of good character evidence achieve their intended purpose.
Child Safe Organisations Bill 2024
QCOSS welcomed the Queensland Government’s commitment to implement recommendations of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, noting it would be essential to ensure the Bill is supported by careful implementation activities, investment, and support for organisations in relation to capability and compliance.

Housing & Cost of Living

National Energy Retail Law (Queensland) Regulation 2014 Review
QCOSS highlighted the cost of living pressures facing low-income households and advocated for stronger energy protections for vulnerable consumers.
National Housing and Homelessness Plan 2024 Bill
QCOSS supported all measures in the Bill designed to improve governance and accountability mechanisms for national housing policy, and recommended the Australian Government develop and implement a National Housing and Homelessness Plan (NHHP) using a human rights-based approach to housing.

Workforce & Equality

Human Rights & Protections

Fair Work Commission Review into Gender-Based Undervaluation (Priority Awards)
QCOSS, alongside nine peak bodies for the community service sector across Australia, raised initial concerns about rushing development of a new Award classification and wage structure, warning of risks to fairness, equity, and sector sustainability. We urged a cautious, consultative process that would prevent workers from being worse off.
Inquiry into Volunteering in Queensland
QCOSS welcomed the Inquiry into Volunteering in Queensland. Our submission highlighted the vital role volunteers play in delivering social services at a time when the number of people volunteering in the sector is declining. QCOSS made four key recommendations including establishing a cost-of-volunteering reimbursement fund and continuing to implement the social service procurement principles.

Inquiry into Elder Abuse in Queensland
QCOSS welcomed the Inquiry into Elder Abuse in Queensland and made three key recommendations, anchored in our call for a coordinated state strategy to prevent the abuse of older people: properly resourced holistic frontline services; expanded awareness and education campaigns (especially for diverse and rural communities); and stronger monitoring, evaluation, and reporting.
Queensland Human Rights Act Review
QCOSS strongly supported retaining and strengthening the Human Rights Act, citing evidence from members that it is delivering positive outcomes for clients and communities. Our submission made ten key recommendations based on our engagement with community service organisations.
Respect at Work and Other Matters Amendment Bill 2024
QCOSS welcomed legislative changes that strengthened Queensland’s equality laws and identified opportunities for the Bill to implement additional recommendations from the Queensland Human Rights Commission.

Reports strengthening our voice

Engaged with the 2025 Queensland Budget: We worked with the sector to compile our pre-budget submission, clearly communicating the sector’s investment priorities, and delivered timely budget analysis shortly after the Queensland Budget was handed down on 24 June.
Delivered a Living Affordability Report: This report, released in September 2024, provided clear evidence of the budget position of low-income households in Queensland, with a focus on families with children.
Published a research report: Queensland Local Government’s role in addressing the housing crisis: With Town of Nowhere partners, we engaged the University of New South Wales to develop an evidence base for better council responses to homelessness in Queensland (October 2024). Read the full report here:
Report: Queensland local government’s role in addressing the housing crisis - QCOSS

Campaigns shifting the conversation

During this period, QCOSS brought two major campaigns, Make Queensland Fair and Town of Nowhere to a close. Both were delivered in partnership with leading community service organisations, drawing on our research and policy expertise, and amplified through powerful social media engagement. These campaigns not only elevated the voices of our members, but they also secured unprecedented commitments from the Queensland Government to address both the housing and cost of living crises.

The Raise the Age Queensland campaign continued to build on the success of the previous year, building public awareness and driving huge growth and reach across our social media channels. Email communications demonstrated a highly engaged audience, with open rates above 50%.

Projects supporting vulnerable Queenslanders

Charge Up!

QCOSS continued to work with Neighbourhood Centres Queensland on the Charge Up! project to educate low-income households about their energy use and help people reduce their power bills.

Funded by the Department of Energy and Climate (now Queensland Treasury) through the Enable Grants Program, the Charge Up! project worked with energy educators at neighbourhood and community centres to create tangible outcomes for vulnerable households to reduce their energy consumption, navigate concessions and save money on their power bills.

2024-25 highlights

Collaborated with 20 Neighbourhood and Community Centres (NCCs): The NCCs were selected to take part in the Charge Up! Project to strengthen their capability to serve as local energy information and support hubs.
Delivered a train-the-trainer program: Held in November 2024, the program equipped the centres with the knowledge and tools to support their communities.
Held six Community of Practice sessions: These sessions deepened learning, encouraged peer exchange, and supported the ongoing development of the centres’ capabilities.
Engaged communities since January 2025: The NCCs have been engaging with their communities, hosting events, collaborating with local organisations, and supporting households to build their understanding of the energy system and energy efficiency.
Delivered two webinars: We shared knowledge with the broader community services sector and supported wider engagement.
Made submissions to advocate for stronger energy protections for vulnerable consumers.

Other advocacy on energy

As part of our contract with the Department of Energy and Climate, QCOSS coordinated a bi-annual consumer sentiment survey to improve understanding of energy hardship and vulnerability.

We also continued to partner with the Power Together alliance, working with a coalition of community organisations to advocate for fairer energy policies to reduce cost of living pressures.