News webinar: Labor too slow on sector reform

In a live interview on the Not-for-profit Agenda webcast, Senator Smith said he was disturbed by the government’s lack of urgency in addressing issues raised in three major reviews into the sector.

“I’ve got to applaud the not-for-profit sector because you’ve demonstrated great patience,” said Senator Smith, referring to the slow progress on the Productivity Commission's inquiry into philanthropy, the Department of Social Services' review of community sector funding, and the NFP Sector Development Blueprint.

The Productivity Commission's report, which explores ways to double philanthropic giving, was delivered to the government in May, while the two other inquiries are yet to be finalised.

“Having come out of a pandemic experience with very real economic challenges that are being felt across the community …. I would have thought the government would have acted with much greater haste around all these things [inquiries],” said Senator Smith.

“Things have taken too long, and the need is real, and the need is urgent. I would approach it with more [political] leadership and less process.”

In a wide-ranging interview, Senator Smith:

• promised that if elected, a federal Coalition government would be more responsive to the needs of the sector than the current Labor government
  

• said the fact that sector concerns about new self-review tax returns had been escalated to the level of a Senate inquiry was a “black mark” against the Australian Taxation Office (ATO)
  

• said the 468-page Productivity Commission report into philanthropy handed to the government in May had missed a golden opportunity to usher in “transformative change in the philanthropic giving space.”

“However the government choose to respond to the Productivity Commission [report], it will not be legislated in this parliament,” said Senator Smith.

“It probably will not be legislated in the first two years of the next parliament. That’s not progress. That’s not reform.”

While Senator Smith was the headline guest on this edition of the Not-for-profit Agenda, which explored the theme of campaigns, the hour-long webinar also screened video interviews with other sector leaders. These included:

• Thomas Mayo, signatory to the Uluru Statement from the Heart and the author of a new book about the Voice campaign
  

• Martin Thomas, CEO of the Alliance for Gambling Reform, about his group’s powerful campaign for a gambling advertising ban
  

• Angus Crowther, co-founder of government engagement experts Tanck, on how NFPs can prepare for the 2025 federal election
  

• Brianna Kerr, founder of the fast-emerging Five Bucks philanthropic movement
  

• Brett de Hoedt, straight-talking media and marketing expert who knows how the public and not-for-profits really think
  

• Saffron Zomer, executive director of the Australian Democracy Network, on democracy building, defending advocacy rights, and protecting the right to protest
  

• Lisa Allan, an architect of the Pay What It Takes campaign, which is fighting for fairer funding for not-for-profits
• Ian Bird, Community Foundations Australia.

Catch-up with previous editions of the Not-for profit Agenda:

How did the minister handle the tough questions on the Not-for-profit Agenda?

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