Charities Alliance urges the Federal Government to strengthen its support of charitable advocacy
The Stronger Charities Alliance (the Alliance) welcomes the National Blueprint for the Not-for-Profit Sector (the Blueprint), which was released yesterday.
The Blueprint recommends supporting charity sector advocacy as a key initiative and immediate priority. This includes endorsing the Alliance’s long-held positions:
- clarifying that charity advocacy is beneficial for the public,
- establishing a merit-based appointment for the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commissioner and
- ending the practice of preventing charities from undertaking advocacy when on Commonwealth agreements.
With the Blueprint now finally released, the Stronger Charities Alliance calls on the Albanese Government to act swiftly to strengthen support and protections for charities’ critical role as public interest advocates. This first step in enacting the blueprint will practically demonstrate the government’s support for the sector.
The Alliance thanks the Blueprint Expert Reference Group (BERG) for their work in delivering the Blueprint to the government on behalf of the NFP Sector. It looks forward to further engagement with them in the implementation phase.
‘The Alliance and its members support better legislative protections for charitable advocacy. The wider not-for-profit (NFP) sector seeks better protections. Now, the Blueprint Expert Reference Group has called for better protections. The evidence is in, and the consensus is clear - now is the time for the government to deliver, not delay’, said Hassan Nasir Mirbahar, the coordinator of the Stronger Charities Alliance.
The proposed protections are easy to implement and can be legislated relatively quickly at the start of the next parliamentary term.
‘For almost three years, the Alliance and charity sector has worked constructively with the Federal Government. We have drafted a detailed proposal in the form of our model bill, which shows how easy these reforms would be to legislate. All that is needed now is political will. We call on the Government to commit to legislate these simple reforms within the first 100 days of the next parliament should it be returned to office’, Mirbahar added.
‘Over the years, we have seen some extremely regressive moves by Governments to silence charitable advocacy on public interest issues. The reforms we have developed in our model legislation are simple, no-budget measures that should be taken immediately to ensure that charities can perform our critical advocacy role on behalf of our causes and communities now and into the future’, said Saffron Zomer, Executive Director of the Australian Democracy Network.
‘The NFP Sector has witnessed so many reviews that led next to nowhere. Research shows over 160 recommendations for sector reform in the last three decades, yet only 21 recommendations in total were fully implemented. The sector has worked closely and constructively with the government - it must now see the results of their patience and persistence’, added Alliance Coordinator Hassan Mirbahar.
As part of the recommendation to strengthen charity advocacy, the Blueprint recommends that the government, in the immediate term, better fund NFP sector peak bodies to support their policy research and related advocacy.
‘Community sector charities are trusted and respected voices in national debates, arguing for positive, systemic change. However, over the last decade, our sector has been denied the secure and long-term funding that is needed to serve and advocate for our communities. The Blueprint sets out the key initiatives for government to better invest in charities as carers and advocates for people across the country.’ said Dr Cassandra Goldie AO, Chief Executive Officer, ACOSS
‘Charities like Oxfam play a critical role in advocating for policy changes to address the root causes of poverty and inequality. Positive and lasting solutions require strong, active advocacy; and it is in all our interests to ensure this is protected by law,’ said Lyn Morgain, Oxfam Australia Chief Executive.
‘Charitable advocacy makes Australia a better and fairer place to live. Because of advocacy, we can snorkel on an oil-rig free Great Barrier Reef and the Franklin River still flows. Advocating and encouraging public debate is an important democratic function played by charities, and its public benefit should be enshrined in law.’ Kelly O’Shanassy, Australian Conservation Foundation
Toby o’Connor, CEO St Vincent de Paul National Council, said, ‘As a contributor to the Blueprint Expert Reference Group, we support the Stronger Charities Alliance’s Bill. It provides regulatory certainty and clarity of compliance obligations, all necessary to ensure the continued and effective contributions of charities to the Australian community’.
For more information about this or comment contact: Hassan Nasir Mirbahar, Coordinator, Stronger Charities Alliance at 0406 548 175
About the Stronger Charities Alliance model bill
For more information about the model bill drafted by the Alliance visit this page.
About BERG and Blueprint
The Blueprint Expert Reference Group was tasked by the Government to “provide a roadmap for Government reforms and sector-led initiatives that will provide not-for-profit and charity sector organisations with sustainable solutions and business models.” The group was hosted by the Department of Social Service and consisted of a subset of Community Support Advisory Group’s (CSAG) charity members.
For more information on the Blueprint development and consultation process see https://www.dss.gov.au/communities-and-vulnerable-people-programs-services/the-blueprint-expert-reference-group-berg