A new “NFP Sector Development Blueprint” has been released, outlining a 10-year plan to transform Australia’s not-for-profit sector.
A comprehensive blueprint designed to revolutionise Australia’s not-for-profit (NFP) sector over the next decade is calling for widespread political support, particularly with a federal election looming. The NFP Sector Development Blueprint, presented to the federal government in November, has garnered significant backing from sector advocates and academics and involved collaboration with fthe ederal Treasury and the Department of Social Services.
Professor Jo Barraket, the blueprint’s lead author and an expert advisor to the Blueprint Expert Reference Group (BERG), emphasises the need for bi-partisan commitment. “Given that the NFP sector is such a major national contributor to our workforce, economy, social and environmental wellbeing, the government has a unique moment to embrace the reforms set out in the Blueprint,” she states. “Importantly, the Blueprint is an independent, non-partisan and sector-led roadmap, so I also hope that all major parties and crossbenchers in the federal Parliament support its implementation.”
The BERG, a 10-member panel comprising leaders from major NFPs such as ACOSS, the St Vincent de Paul Society, Anglicare Australia, Volunteering Australia, and the Federation of Ethnic Communities Councils of Australia, has played a crucial role in guiding the project. ACOSS chief Cassandra Goldie urges the government to act. “The community NFP sector is one of the most trusted and respected voices in national debates,” she asserts. “I call on the Prime Minister, Treasurer and key members of the cabinet to back our sector on the investments we clearly need. We deliver every day, on the frontline delivering care in our communities. We now need the government to deliver and play its part.”
Key priorities outlined in the blueprint include reforms to the deductible gift recipient (DGR) system, support for NFP advocacy and peak bodies, ensuring financial sustainability through indexation and “full-cost funding,” supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander self-determination, and assisting with digital transformation and capability.
Professor Barraket stresses that the blueprint is not merely a wish list. “The Blueprint is not a wish list, it’s a reform roadmap. It is also not a government inquiry, but a sector-led process that was enabled by the federal government. It integrates priorities for sector reform with broader national priorities related to our collective wellbeing, our economic productivity, and the strength of our democracy.” She further explains that the blueprint “has stepped out the proposed initiatives along a 10-year timeframe, identifying which items are for immediate action, and who is responsible, recognising accountabilities for both governments and the sector itself.”
With the government expected to respond by March 31, Professor Barraket hopes for a timeline and funding commitments. She also highlights the importance of ongoing engagement, urging NFPs to familiarise themselves with the blueprint and identify opportunities for action, independent of government initiatives. “I’d love to see NFPs across the country reading the Blueprint, and determining for themselves what initiatives resonate for them, and where they see the opportunity to take action without waiting for government,” she says.
She notes that the Opposition Charities Minister, Senator Dean Smith, has been briefed on the blueprint and expressed his support. Professor Barraket emphasises that the blueprint’s success hinges on broad political consensus “in our national interest,” and views the upcoming election as “but one milestone in a longer reform journey.” She hopes that all major parties commit to its implementation, regardless of the election outcome.
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