Govt inaction is hurting embattled charity sector
Leaders frustrated as Government falls short on promised reforms
The nation's charity sector has delivered an adverse assessment on the Albanese government's failure to act on its own reform agenda, and to ease the burden on organisations that are delivering urgent cost of living help to those most in need.
A new survey of charity CEOs found that at least 2 out 3 leaders criticised the government's inaction and lack of progress on a raft of important issues facing the charity sector.
It found heavy criticism of the lack of progress in cutting red tape, ensuring the safety of volunteers and paying charities what it actually costs to deliver the services funded by government grants.
"At a time when so many Australians are relying on charities to survive this cost of living crisis it's disappointing and frustrating that the government has failed to deliver on so many of its promises to help the sector," the CEO of the Community Council of Australia, David Crosbie, said.
"These findings raise urgent questions about how effectively the Government is delivering on its promises to safeguard the heart and soul of our communities, the charities and not-for-profit sector."
The survey by Piazza Research, surveyed the CCA Charity Expert Panel - a group of 56 leaders and CEOs from key charity and Not-for-Profit organisations - to assess the effectiveness of Government commitments to the sector. It found:
- 77% of leaders said there was insufficient action to ensure government tenders and grants adequately funded staffing levels, fair wages and conditions.
- 84% responded negatively to the lack of progress in cutting red tape and reducing costs
- While 70% of leaders highlighted the lack of progress in efforts to recruit volunteers and ensure safety, particularly in the context of natural disasters and COVID-19.
There was also a chronic lack of progress highlighted in helping charities bridge the technological divide, reforming funding models to allow long-term planning and inaction on the implementation of the 2010 Productivity Commission Report recommendations on the not-for-profit sector.
The Community Council of Australia has previously warned that the cost of living crisis has put so much additional pressure on the sector that some charities are having to cut back on the services they provide.
"For years charities have been saying the real costs of providing services to our communities is much higher than the funding being provided," Mr Crosbie said.
"The ongoing lack of substantive progress in critical areas—especially those that directly affect the operational capacity of charities—highlights the misalignment between the Government's stated priorities and its execution."
NB. The full report produced by Piazza Research is available here: AUSTRALIAN
CHARITIES, State of the Sector Report, Charity Policy Delivery: The Government's Scorecard
