Government-community sector liaison should continue long-term

St Vincent de Paul Society commends the Department of Social Services for its work with the community sector on the Community Sector Grants Engagement Framework and fully supports the benefits of designing policy and managing grant programs in accordance with the Framework's guidelines. 

‘When implemented, these guidelines will improve government transparency and, ultimately, the sustainability of the community sector,’ said National President Mark Gaetani. 

‘Importantly, the Framework commits the Australian Public Service to consider indexation, longer-term grant agreements, cost of delivering quality services and earlier notification for renewal/cessation of grants when designing grant activities.  

‘We commend the Framework’s focus on outlining a whole of government administrative and cultural approach to working with the community sector to deliver grant programs. It involves close liaison with the sector from the policy design phase through to management of grants in a way that improves the sustainability of the sector,’ Mr Gaetani said.  

‘It also commits to reducing the administrative burden and increasing diversity and flexibility of funding arrangements.

‘The Department of Social Services will publish annual progress reports which will help set the work agenda for government departments and the community sector and identify any gaps in terms of progress. The Society welcomes this level of transparency, which has not been seen before.’

Mr Gaetani said the principles of engagement detailed in the Ways of Working Statement underpin how Government will engage with the community sector, putting the goals of individuals, families and communities at the forefront of all engagement between the government and the sector.  

‘The principles put the onus on Government to be collaborative, open and transparent, and outcomes focussed,’ he added, saying the Society calls on the Government – and the Opposition, should it form government - to endorse the Not for Profit Sector Development Blueprint which was developed independently by the sector’s not-for-profit Blueprint Expert Reference Group.

‘We call on the Australian Government’s social and economic contribution to be highly visible and well supported, with appropriate levels of investment for development.

‘The sector should be truly reflective of, and responsive to, the Australian community. 

‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander self-determination and community control should be actively supported. People in the sector should have careers that are professionally rewarding and fairly remunerated. And not-for-profits should be sustainably resourced and fairly compensated for their work by government.

‘These advances must not fall off the table in the heat of the election campaign, as significant gains have been made. The beneficiary is the broader Australian society, as the work of the community sector touches everyone’s lives, often in very important ways.

‘This work is non-partisan and must be continued, regardless of how the political cards fall.’