Submissions to the latest round of consultations on a national compact between the Australian Government and the Not for Profit Sector (NFP) closed on the 30th of September. The COSS network submission, developed by ACOSS, is substantially informed by ACOSS consultations with its members and the sector, as well as the experiences and impacts of compacts at the state and territory levels across the country.

The key points in the submission are:

• The COSS network supports the move towards a Compact between the Australian Government and the not-for-profit sector.
• A Compact provides the opportunity to address some of the major issues facing non-profit, community and social services, including establishing mutual respect and understanding between government and our sector; and reforming funding and contracting and regulation policy to ensure that it aids and supports the delivery of quality social services.
• These issues that are vital for the organisations and service users represented by the COSS network are not necessarily reflective of the priorities across the entire not-for-profit sector.
• High-level principles must be outlined as the basis of the relationship between government and the entire not-for-profit sector.
• Sub-sector agreements can then address the issues that are paramount but unique to smaller groupings within the not-for-profit sector.

Download: COSS submission on a National Compact