Since the start of 2008, as a result of a change in Government, there has been an increasing amount of change being proposed across Australia. Much of this is to be driven through COAG processes. This change is happening quickly and it can be difficult to stay in touch with what is happening.

9 March 2010 
Coordinating Minister for Human Services, Linda Burney, has recently announced a range of measures to begin to reduce the 'red tape' burden on the sector. These include the implementation of the following initiatives by mid-year:

• the introduction of e-tendering and word limits;
• standardising insurance requirements;
• the development and application of standard questions across agencies for tenders on issues such as management and financial viability • the reduction of information required from NGOs in the tendering process where information has already been collected by agencies.

These, and further recommendations, are detailed in the NSW Government's NGO Red Tape Reduction Report:

• Media Release, 8 March 2010
• Report: Non Government Organisation Red Tape Reduction, December 2009

Information

• Catherine Mahony, NCOSS Deputy Director Sector Development and Corporate Services
  ph: 9211 2599, ext 110
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9 March 2010
Includes: WT4NSW Agreement | WTFNSW Good Funding Policy and Practice | WT4NSW Implementation Committee | WT4NSW Projects New! | New research on Compacts

In 1997, NCOSS proposed to the NSW Government that a statement outlining the shared objectives and the complementary roles of, and the principles of the relationship between, the NSW Government and the NSW non-for-profit human services sector be developed. 

New:  Coordinating Minister for Human Services, Linda Burney, has recently announced a range of measures to begin to reduce the 'red tape' burden on the sector.  These are detailed in the NSW Government's NGO Red Tape Reduction report.

9 March 2010
Includes: New system introduced | New! Consultation on NGO capacity building and workforce development | Information Fora | Keeping Accountable 

Updated: 15 February 2010
On 17 March 2009, the Productivity Commission received a terms of reference from the Government asking it to undertake a commissioned study on the contributions of the not for profit sector.

The Commission's draft report was released for comment in October and NCOSS convened a consultation between the sector and Commissioner Dennis Trewin in November 2009. 

ACOSS and the State COSSs prepared a response to the draft report. 

UPDATE
Productivity Commission’s final report on the contribution of the not-for profit sector was released on 11 February
Download full report: Contribution of the Not-for-Profit Sector: Productivity Commission Research Report

29 January 2010
Includes: Latest News | CSGP Campaign

15 January 2010
The national, state and territory Councils of Social Service have prepared a fact sheet on the award modernisation process for the social and community service sector.

15 January 2010
As part of the implementation of the NSW Homelessness Action Plan, Housing NSW and other NSW government agencies with responsibility for homelessness are currently developing Regional Homelessness Action Plans (RHAPs) for each of the nine NSW Regional Coordination Program regions.

The first NCOSS Indigenous Women’s Leadership Program, specifically for Aboriginal women working in the community sector, has been successfully completed by seven outstanding women.

9 October 2009

The NGO sector and NSW Health agreed to undertake a Review of the NSW Health NGO Program at a meeting in early December 2008.  NSW Health has prepared a discussion paper a Discussion Paper that presents issues for consideration.  

4 September 2009
This significant new research on the NSW NGO workforce, commissioned by the Department of Premier and Cabinet and the Department of Community Services, highlights many of the critical workforce issues previously identified by the sector.

11 June 2009
The PADP Community Alliance warmly welcomes the Final Report of the NSW Legislative Council’s Inquiry into the Program of Appliances for Disabled People (PADP).