Page 2498 - Week 07 - Wednesday, 17 June 2009
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in the ACT once found that, when asked what was the most important aspect of their lives, people in the ACT responded firstly by nominating family and secondly by nominating community.
Throughout the duration of my role as the CEO of Volunteering ACT, I was intimately aware of the not-for-profit sector’s many faces and the breadth and variety of its work. As I said, environmental groups, sporting clubs and community associations are all examples of the not-for-profit organisations that are numerous in this city. They all increase our sense of community and social responsibility, and help us build networks and develop skills. The impact that these clubs and organisations have, in terms of their positive social outcomes for the community in general and for volunteers as individuals, is well documented.
Of course, it is also important to define what is meant by the term “compact”. Last year’s consultations between the federal government and the not-for-profit sector revealed that this term was not widely understood. What is a compact? A compact is an agreement between two parties. In this case it is one between the federal government and the not-for-profit sector. It outlines how both parties will work together to improve and strengthen their relationship now and into the future for the benefit of the whole community.
A strong relationship between the federal government and the not-for-profit sector is vital to ensure that government policy is informed by the views of the sector, as it is the sector that works at the coalface of service delivery in our communities. The proposed compact is intended to provide a vehicle through which the sector can engage with the federal government on its reform agendas, such as the carbon reduction pollution scheme, industrial relations and taxation reforms and many other areas of policy.
The not-for-profit sector has developed leadership structures that reflect the diversity of the sector, such as Volunteering Australia and ACOSS. I have been involved in both of these organisations, which also have their own state and territory instruments. These organisations will be key to developing and promoting the compact nationally. The aim is also to increase the level of collaboration and communication between government and the not-for-profit sector and to strengthen the sector’s capacity to give efficient and effective service. Consultation will be aimed at promoting and achieving the social inclusion priorities that lie at the core of Labor values.
I was recently at a dinner hosted by a well-known service club in the ACT, International Lions, and officials of the club spoke on that evening about their role in this consultation process. Sometimes, as I said, we forget the breadth of this sector and the important work that it does.
As members of this Assembly would be aware, a compact already exists between the ACT government and the ACT not-for-profit sector. In fact, until recently, New South Wales and South Australia were the only other states and territories with such a compact. But I am happy to say that, last November, the Queensland compact was launched. The ACT social compact, together with the ACT social plan and the community sector funding policy, marks a significant shift away from a
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