Cut backs and Recession
Finances across the community sector were already very tight but became even more so in 1988 under the Greiner Government. Many organisations funded by FACS had their funding frozen at 1989 levels resulting in a cut in real funding of 7% in 1990. The arrival of the worst recession in over 60 years did not help matters. Through its work the Council of Social Service of NSW (NCOSS) pressed home the need for social development alongside economic development and fought against narrow definitions of the “really needy”.

Policy and action
This was a very busy time for NCOSS and through the efforts of staff, Board members and committees many, many, many issues were taken up and championed - none of which can be done any justice here. They included: deinstitutionalisation; community services; Health and Home Support Services (HACC); housing; employment; regional development; urban development; Community Services Grant Program (CSGP); disability services; local government; transport; older people; rural communities; prison reform; employment, education and training; health; mental health; womens’ issues; Aboriginal people; NESB; juvenile justice; childrens’ welfare; family work, young people; Emergency Relief (ER); foster care and insurance coverage to name but a few.

NCOSS was required to vacate its Liverpool St premises in late 1984 to make way for construction of Darling Harbour. The Youth & Community Services (YACS) Minister Frank Walker made available the Old Childrens’ Court in Surry Hills. Transformation from courthouse to community centre was achieved by renovations carried out under a Commonwealth Employment Program (CEP) grant. Many of the other organisations from Liverpool St also took up accommodation with NCOSS at 66 Albion St, where it has remained to this day.

Networking
Increased coordination between the State Councils led to regular meetings of COSS directors. Issues had a state based focus on Commonwealth issues and programs. Also, a state-based Regional Forum from 1990 - facilitated through phone hook-ups - allowed for issues discussed at a State level to be quickly conveyed for comment and development from regional perspective and vice versa.

Housing defunded
Dwindling cheap rental stock and poor supply had resulted in a housing crisis. Many housing policy and funding organisations were defunded by the Greiner Government. NCOSS committed more policy time to housing and sought to co-ordinate what resources remained for housing advocacy.

FONGA
Established by NCOSS, the Forum of Non-Government Welfare Co-ordinating Agencies allowed for cooperation with other NGOs - for example, discussing the Richmond Report and the movement towards deinstitutionalised care in 1983. By 1989 the Forum was known as FONGA and it had become a significant stage upon which issues of concern, especially over budget cuts to NGOs, agency cuts and poor departmental communication could be taken up with the Government. As an indication of how significant FONGA was seen, a number of politicians addressed the forum during this period, including Premier Nick Greiner and Deputy Opposition Leader Andrew Refshauge.

Donations
The Australian Tax Office removed the status of public benevolent institution from all COSSes in 1986. Initially some donors gave more generously than before however their support eventually dried up. Corporate donors over previous years had included: Broken Hill Pty Ltd; Westpac; Commonwealth Bank; Consolidated Gold Fields; John Fairfax; Nock & Kirby Hardware; QBE Insurance and, perhaps more unusually, Rothmans of Pall Mall and Tooheys Ltd!

Publications
The Social Service newsletter become NCOSS News in 1984 and continued to be a vital part of the way NCOSS communicated with its members. There was also an active publication program in the 1980s with the aim of disseminating policy, information and resources. Titles included:

• Loaves and Fishes (1983) - community services funding;
• Incorporation (1985) - an explanation of the Associations Incorporation Act which sold over 3,000 copies;
• NCOSS Views - transcripts of talks or submissions by NCOSS staff; for example, Women and Housing by Sarah Fogg (Feb 1986);
• Legalities (3rd edition, 1986);
• The Community Action Handbook - a frequently reprinted best seller; and
• The FAB Manual - financing, accounting and bookkeeping help.

Technology
A CEP grant in 1985 enabled the entry of over 12,000 services (accommodation, childcare, nursing homes, hostels and respite care) into the NCOSS database. This was used for a variety of planning purposes, surveys and analysis, and to answer specific questions for NGOs, students, and Government. As such, NCOSS was well placed to administer, monitor and analyse the Emergency Relief WESTAT Data collection in 1990. Computers were increasingly utilised for internal administration, research and desktop publishing for newsletters, reports and publications.

Associations Incorporation Act
Following many years of lobbying the NSW Government finally prepared an act outlining a process of incorporation for not-for-profit groups in 1984. NCOSS was funded to employ a solicitor to write Incorporations and answer enquiries from the sector.

Campaign for a Just Society
When, in 1986, a member organisation made a request for the Council to make a positive statement against proposed cuts to social security and community services in the Federal Budget, NCOSS tested the waters for wider support for an advert in the Sydney Morning Herald. There was a groundswell of support and the initiative was taken up nationally by ACOSS, other COSSes and unions. On 6 June an advert appeared with 800 NSW community groups as signatories. The Campaign was an important rallying focus with national media attention and was assumed to have helped avert the most severe welfare cuts.

Department of Community Services
NCOSS recommended in 1985 that the NSW Government should combine fragmented State community services within a larger Department of Community Services by integrating programs from Health, Education and YACS. It was believed that such an arrangement would enhance advocacy on behalf of community services, facilitate better planning to decrease duplication of services and ensure that gaps in service provision were identified and met. Ahead of its time, the recommendation waited many years before DoCS was eventually formed.

NSW Child Poverty Campaign
Prime Minister Bob Hawke’s 1988 pledge that “No child will live in poverty by 1990” was the catalyst for a NSW campaign aimed at raising awareness about the nature of child poverty issues amongst politicians (State and local), community organisations and the general public. A combination of strategies - direct advocacy, media publicity, local community projects and even bus advertisements - were utilised. Launched by Kathryn Griener during Children’s Week in 1989, the NSW Child Poverty Campaign culminated a year later with over 40,000 postcards promoting the need for Government initiatives to overcome child poverty being presented to Bob Hawke.

Competitive Tendering
Market based ideology began to make an impact on community service programs in the early 1990s. NCOSS responded with a number of conferences and publications to highlight that social justice was not just about safety nets and poverty lines. Microeconomic reform was tackled in the 1994 'Solution or Sellout' conference which also saw the launch of The Magic Answers a book discussing privatisation and questioning why services which arose to compensate for market failure should now be delivered according to market principles.

Presidents
When Kevin Anderson stepped down as President in 1982 his place was temporarily filled by former Director Eva Cox until elections the following year. Presidents throughout this period were all well-known within the broader community sector and very active in NCOSS operations:

• Julian Disney 1983-85;
• Leslie Garton 1985-87;
• Lois Bryson 1987-89;
• Robin Gurr 1989-91;
• Harry Herbert 1991-94.

Directors
NCOSS Directors have steered the organisation through good times and not so good times. Federal and State Government requests for NCOSS involvement without appropriate funding made the job increasingly difficult. Colleen Chesterman took over the helm of the organisation with the departure in 1982 of Barbara Lepani. Robyn Henderson oversaw operations from 1986. Both Colleen and Robyn opened up new frontiers for the organisation and saw it through a number of restructures and facilitated a focus towards policy advocacy in the face of significant financial restraints.

The election of the Greiner Coalition Government in 1988 changed the playing field significantly. Lyn Gain who became Director in 1989 after many years of working at NCOSS, took the challenge up to the Government with a robust and positive defence of social justice. Despite a general lack of consultation and cooperation from the Government, and significant philosophical differences, NCOSS worked tirelessly during this period to bring about the best result for low income and disadvantaged people and for the agencies that supported them.

A Consultation Protocol to improve communication channels was adopted in 1994 after many years work with the (by then Fahey) Coalition Government... only to see them voted out the follow-ing year. Back to drawing board!

Ahead
With the 2000 Olympics for Sydney announced and the rising influence of micro-economic reform on the horizon there was still much that needed to be done in the fight for social justice.

Next: 1995-present