Not-for-Profit sector welcomes Labor’s commitment to sector reforms

Monday, August 9, 2010

The Not-for-profit (NFP) sector welcomed Labor’s announcement today that it would establish an Office for the Not-For-Profit Sector and, if elected, would implement other recommendations of the Productivity Commission’s report released in February.

“We welcome the commitment of Labor to establish an Office for the Not-for-Profit Sector,” CCA Chair and World Vision CEO, Reverend Tim Costello, said.

“This was a key recommendation of the Productivity Commission and will play an important role in having consistency across the nation and across government. This is the first time that the sector has had a single reference point within Government.”

CCA also welcomed the proposal to harmonise the tangle of complex state and federal regulations.

“Not-for-profits spend too much filling in forms to a host of government regulators”, said Dr Stephen Judd, CCA Director and CEO of HammondCare. “The commitment to slash red-tape and move towards a national ‘one stop shop’ regulator for the sector is going to make a huge difference not just for the NFPs but for the Australians who interact with them,” Dr. Judd said.

“The commitment to locate the Office for the Not-for-Profit Sector within the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet is an acknowledgement that the Not-for-Profit Sector is a key contributor to a prosperous economy and cohesive community in Australia,” CCA Deputy Chair and CEO of The Smith Family, Elaine Henry said. “It recognises that the lifeblood of a $43 billion sector depends not only on reducing red tape but also on embedding collaborative social innovation to inform policy and solve our seemingly intractable problems. We look forward to working with the Government to deliver on these historic reforms.” 

“This is a significant announcement for the Not-for-Profit sector and the Community Council for Australia also calls on the Coalition to commit to the sector reforms recommended by the Productivity Commission”, said Toby Hall, CCA Director and CEO of Mission Australia . 
The Community Council for Australia (CCA) is a non-partisan independent member-based organisation comprising CEOs in the not-for-profit (NFP) sector and focuses on researching and discussing key issues impacting the NFP environment.

Please contact Jo Maloney 0423 292 525 for comment from Elaine Henry, CCA Director and CEO of The Smith Family. 

Please contact Dr Stephen Judd, CCA Director and CEO of HammondCare for comment; on 0404 801555 or through Rosemary Norris on (02) 8280 8420. 

Please contact Paul Andrews on (02) 9219 2080 or 0409 665 495 for comment from Toby Hall, CCA Director and CEO of Mission Australia 


Community Council for Australia members include: 
Aboriginal Employment Strategy Ltd. Associations Forum Pty. Ltd 
Australian Indigenous Leadership Centre HammondCare Connecting Up Australia 
Good Beginnings Australia 
Illawara Retirement Trust 
Maroba Lodge Ltd 
Mission Australia 
Opportunity International Australia 
RSPCA Australia 
Surf Life Saving Australia 
The Benevolent Society 
Volunteering Australia Inc 
WorkVentures Ltd. Lifeline Australia 
Mental Health Council of Australia 
Musica Viva Australia 
Philanthropy Australia 
Social Ventures Australia 
The Smith Family 
The Centre for Social Impact 
Wesley Mission 
World Vision Australia 
YMCA Australia 

Media Releases, Poverty, Asia and the Pacific, Australian Government, Foreign Aid, NGO, Oxfam, Tim Costello, World Vision

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