“For several years, NCOSS has been calling on the Government to adopt a simple triple bottom line format for government  reporting”  said NCOSS Acting Director, Michelle Burrell.

“The NSW State Plan helps to put that process into action. It follows successful initiatives in Victoria and Tasmania where clear targets, actions and results are built into how government does it work.”

“The community is tired of political spin and the narrow obsession with financial bottom lines of Government agencies, they want the Government to lift their game in reporting on what really matters to the community” she said.

“NCOSS has already proposed a set of areas that should be measured. These are:

• Health, both physical and mental
• Economic security and financial hardship
• Education, including access to early childhood, school and vocational training
• Essential services
• Housing
• Transport and connectivity
• Care and support, including child protection, community care, and support services for older people and people with disability
• Safety, both in the home and in community; and
• Community Resilience, including social participation.”

 “It is only fair that those in charge of the $40 billion annual State Budget demonstrate just what social, economic and environmental benefits their actions actually produce.”

“There is no point in planning and measuring unless we see real results” said Ms Burrell. “The Government must put resources into areas where results show more investment is needed” she added.