Federal Budget Submission 2012

Recommendations

 
1. NFP reform agenda

1.1 The ACNC must be enabled to operate independently and reduce the compliance burden on NFPs through more effective regulation and referral of information and powers from the many local, State and Federal bodies imposing regulatory burdens on NFPs.

1.2 The single portal for NFP registration and reporting must work effectively to allow key organisational information to be reported once to a central government agency, and then be used by all other government and non-government funding and contracting services as the basis of any reporting and engagement process.

1.3 The smallest NFPs (less than $500,000) must not be required to meet complex compliance requirements, and a light touch reporting regime should be applied to all NFPs.

2. NFP role across government programs and services

2.1 An NFP impact statement should be included in all major policy proposals across government, even where the impact is considered to be secondary to the primary policy goal.  This includes reviewing eligibility for program funding and other government assistance provided to small businesses, etc.

3. NFP innovation

3.1 A dedicated NFP innovation fund should be established to encourage NFPs to provide their own proposals that can more effectively address key government and community priorities. 

4. Treasury and taxation changes

4.1 There should be both a one year and two year review of any new regulations in relation to NFP tax concessions that will allow NFPs adversely impacted by the changes to be able to outline their concerns, and enable the government to address unintended consequences or emerging issues.

5. The NFP knowledge gap

5.1 The government should immediately address the NFP knowledge gap by funding the development of an Information Development Plan for the Australian NFP sector, the establishment of a common framework for measuring the contribution of the NFP sector, and a new Centre for Community Service Effectiveness in accordance with the Productivity Commission Research Report ‘Contribution of the Not-for-Profit Sector’.

6. Future financing of the sector

6.1 The government should establish a Social Finance Taskforce in line with the recommendations of the Senate Economic Committee Report, ‘Investing for good: the development of a capital market for the not-for-profit sector in Australia’.