Anti Poverty Week 12-18 October 2008
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Poverty and severe hardship affect more than one million Australians. Around the world, more than one billion people are desperately poor.
Anti-Poverty Week (APW) is an Australia-wide initiative that began several years ago and continues to grow. This United Nations recognised event will be held from 12-18 October this year. The NSW APW Committee has prepared a flyer which outlines some of the actions which organisations and individuals might consider taking to focus community attention on tackling poverty. More information can be found on the APW website.
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Updated: 3 July 2008 |
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| Special Commission of Inquiry into Health |
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On 24 January 2008, The Hon Reba Meagher, MP, the NSW Minister for Health, announced a Special Commission of Inquiry into the delivery of patient care within the NSW Public Health System.
Commissioner Peter Garling was originally scheduled to report to the Governor of NSW by 31 July, however, as a result of the extensive volume of material to be analysed and the further meetings being planned, the Commissioner was granted an extension of time to complete his report and recommendations. The reporting date for the Special Commission of Inquiry into the delivery of acute care services within the NSW public health system has been extended until 28 November 2008.
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Updated: 3 July 2008 |
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Between 17 June and 3 July 2008, NCOSS will visit different regional, rural and remote locations across NSW to identify critical social policy and human services issues.
NCOSS will visit towns in the Illawarra, Shoalhaven, Murray and Mid North Coast regions, including Wollongong, Albion Park Rail, Nowra, Kempsey, Port Macquarie, Taree, Dareton, Balranald and Hay. Click on the link to access a timetable and invitation flyers.
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Updated: 11 June 2008 |
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Community Services Grants Program (CSGP)
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The non-government members of the Community Services Grants Program (CSGP) Roundtable have released a joint Communiqué in response to the 2008-2009 NSW Government budget statement announced by the Treasurer, Michael Costa, on 3 June 2008.
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Updated: 11 June 2008 |
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2008 Australian Community Sector Survey
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The Australian Community Sector Survey 2008, conducted by ACOSS, has been released and shows that despite an increase in funding that demand for community services is still outstripping the sector’s capacity to deliver those services.
In NSW in 2006-07 respondents to the survey provided services to 422,233 people, an increase of 2% on the previous year. However, they also turned away just over 18,000 people which was a 16% increase on the previous 12 months. This was despite a 6% increase in overall funding.
Agencies were also asked to list in priority, the services most needed by their clients other than the services provided by their own agency. In NSW the top 4 were health care (including mental health and drug and alcohol services), aged and disability services, long term housing and transport.
Other key findings showed that the majority of services (54%) were targeting their services more tightly than in the past to cope with the demand and that 46% had longer waiting lists than in previous years. Services had also increased the number of paid hours for staff to cope with the demand (41% of respondents) but even more agencies had increased “unfunded” hours (62% of respondents).
Not surprisingly, the overwhelming majority of respondents believed that Government funding did not cover the true cost of delivering contracted services (84%) and a significant number (32%) felt that contract requirements adversely affected their organisation’s ability to deliver contracted services. This was much higher than the national figure of 24% and suggests that there is still a lot to do in this state to truly deliver a fair and effective working partnership between the sector and Government to deliver desperately needed community services.
The survey results will not be a surprise to people working in the sector. NCOSS will now use this important feedback in our discussions with Government to develop better and properly funded community services to meet the needs of low income and disadvantaged people in NSW.
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Updated: 11 June 2008 |
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The 2008-09 NSW State Budget was released on 3 June 2008. NCOSS has prepared an analysis summary and our full analysis will appear in the July edition of NCOSS News.
The Budget Papers can be accessed on the NSW Treasury website:
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Updated: 5 June 2008 |
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Indexation for 2008-09 NSW Health and Ministry of Transport grants to NGOs
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NCOSS has been informed that NGO grants from NSW Health and the Ministry of Transport will receive 2.5% indexation for 2008-09.
This is out of line with levels of indexation applied to NGO grants by other NSW human service agencies, including the Department of Community Services, the Department of Housing and the Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care, who have all allocated 3.3% indexation to NGO grants fully funded by NSW.
Over the past two years, SACS award increases of 3.5% have resulted in indexation of 3.3% for NGO programs across human service agencies, including those funded by NSW Health and the Ministry of Transport. The next SACS award increase of 3.5% is scheduled for 1 July 2008, which will mean indexation for NGOs funded by NSW Health and the Ministry of Transport will not cover SACS award increases.
NCOSS has been advised that the change to 2008-09 indexation rates for NGOs is the result of an efficiency dividend of 1% being applied across NSW Health and the Ministry of Transport. NCOSS rejects the notion that an efficiency dividend can be applied to NGOs. NGOs do not have the infrastructure base from which to derive any efficiency gains, and are not fully funded to cover existing demand.
Furthermore, NCOSS understands that the NSW Government is currently conducting a whole of government review of indexation to NGOs, including an examination of efficiency dividends. NCOSS has urged the relevant departments and Ministers not to preempt the findings of this review.
NCOSS encourages the NSW Government to take a coordinated approach to indexation for NGOs. We have written to the Ministers for Health and Transport to request their reconsideration of this matter, and encourage them to take a consistent approach to other human service agencies by providing 3.3% indexation.
For more information contact Kristie about health and Sam about Transport
For more information, contact Kristie Brown, NCOSS Senior Policy Officer (Health) on 9211 2599, ext 130, email kristie@ncoss.org.au or Samantha Edmonds, NCOSS Deputy Director Policy and Communications on 9211 2599, ext 111 or email samantha@ncoss.org.au
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Updated: 5 June 2008 |
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NSW Government Grants Administration Performance Audit
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The Audit Office of NSW is auditing the administration of grants by NSW Government agencies.
The Audit Office invites non-Government organisations who have applied for, or received, NSW Government grants to complete a short 15 minute survey.
Your views can help inform recommendations to improve the grants system. To participate, please click on the following link to register:
http://www.orima.com/aonsw/registration.php
Registration details will only be used for survey. Your responses will be treated as CONFIDENTIAL and the identification of individuals or organisations will not be possible.
The closing date for the survey has been extended to 13 June 2008 and the Audit Office will report to Parliament on grants later this year.
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Updated: 5 June 2008 |
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On 23 July 2008, NCOSS and The Cancer Council of NSW will be holding a seminar for NGOs on smoking as an equity issue. This will involve a special presentation from Professor Tony Blakely from the University of Otago as well as presentations from NGOs on how they are integrating programs about tobacco into their organizations.
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Updated: 3 June 2008 |
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Federal Government Green Paper on Homelessness
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The Federal Government’s Green Paper on Homelessness ‘Which Way Home?’ was released by the Prime Minister Mr Rudd on 22 May. It was developed by an expert steering group comprising Tony Nicholson, Executive Director of the Brotherhood of St Lawrence (chair), Heather Nancarrow, Director of the Queensland Centre for Domestic and Family Violence, and Anna Buduls, a Sydney company director and philanthropist.
The closing date for submissions has been extended to 27 June 2008.
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Updated: 2 June 2008 |
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The NSW Department of Health Management Board gave formal support to a Review of Community Health Services in NSW and endorsed the Terms of Reference in late 2007. As part of the review process, advice will be sought from a range of key stakeholders.
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Updated: 27 May 2008 |
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In April, NSW Health began collecting information for a review of the Operational Guidelines for the NSW Health NGO Grant Program. They requested that NCOSS and other NSW NGO Health Peaks consult with their members on a preliminary set of questions. These questions were circulated to the members of the NSW NGO Health Peaks, including through FONGA.
NCOSS has synthesised the feedback received into a response on behalf of the NSW NGO Health Peaks. This information is a response to preliminary questions. NCOSS expects that there will be further opportunity for detailed consultation with the NGO sector.
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Updated: 15 May 2008 |
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Proposed changes to the Associations Incorporation Act
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Following a review of the Associations Incorporation Act 1984, various proposed amendments have been developed and are detailed in the Exposure Draft Associations Incorporation Bill 2008. The Bill is available from the Office of Fair Trading website: www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au. Submissions closed on 11 April 2008
Graham Wheeler, Solicitor and author of the NCOSS publication Incorporation: An explanation of the Associations Incorporation Act, has provided NCOSS with a copy of his submission.
The Combined Community Legal Centres Group (NSW) Inc. (CCLCG) has provided NCOSS with a copy of its submission.
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Updated: 5 May 2008 |
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Community Transport Service Type Review
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The Community Transport Service Type Review will examine community transport services funded under the Home and Community Care (HACC) Program, the Community Transport Program and the Area Assistance Scheme.
The primary aim of the Review is the development of Community Transport Service Type Guidelines including good practice principles.
Click here to download the Terms of Reference.
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Updated: 2 May 2008 |
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| Skills Growth or Skills Atrophy - What are the preconditions? |
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Recent research from the Community Services and Health Industry Skills Council identifies seven primary preconditions for the development of a skilled community services workforce; the first of which is the funding model. The report asserts that a low cost funding environment undermines the potential for training growth.
Download: Executive Summary, “Identifying paths to skills growth or skill recession: Decisions for workforce development in the community services and health industries”
- website: www.cshisc.com.au/
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Updated: 11 April 2008 |
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Council of Australian Governments (COAG): NCOSS Analysis of 28 March 2008 Communique
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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.
As part of it’s commitment to keeping the sector informed and involved NCOSS has produced this analysis of the first COAG communiqué. We have attempted to assess what the announcements really mean (progress, no progress, more meetings of "working parties", possible distractions etc) for NSW.
NCOSS intends to continually update this information as more changes occur and more information becomes available.
More information about COAG can be found at their website: http://www.coag.gov.au/index.htm
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Updated: 7 April 2008 |
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The Parliamentary Joint Standing Committee on Children and Young People has recently commenced an inquiry about children and young people aged from 9-14 years in NSW. Submissions to the Inquiry close on 5 May 2008.
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Updated: 1 April 2008 |
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In mid November the Minister for Community Services, Kevin Greene, announced that the Government had appointed the Honourable James Wood to head up a Special Commission of Inquiry into Child Protection Services in NSW that will report to Government by the 30th June 2008. The NCOSS submission to the Inquiry is now complete.
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Updated: 14 March 2008 |
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Position Statement on the Reform of Specific Purpose Payments and Health Funding to NSW
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Specific Purpose Payments (SPPs) are grants provided by the Commonwealth government to the States and Territories for specific purposes (as differentiated from those provided for general purposes). There are many SPPs that affect funding for health programs, including those provided by community and non-government organisations.
NCOSS, Women’s Health NSW, ACON, MHCC, MHA NSW Inc, Family Planning NSW, NAAH, Hepatitis C Council and NADA have endorsed a position statement on the reform of SPPs and health funding to NSW.
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Updated: 13 March 2008 |
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CSGP (Community Services Grants Program)
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The CSGP Roundtable (including representatives from NCOSS, LCSA, NSW Familiy Services and Western Sydney Community Forum) met with the new Director General of DOCS, Jennifer Mason, on Friday 7th March. While the Director General was only at the meeting for a short time she made clear to those present her commitment to working with NGOs and in particular her commitment to the current process to improve funding for CSGP. DOCS staff also advised that the business case for additional funding has now been given to Treasury. This is for funding over and above the “maintenance of effort” bid (essentially to maintain the real value of funding) which was put forward to Treasury late last year.
NCOSS and other sector reps on the CSGP Roundtable will continue to advocate for additional funding for CSGP given its vital importance in meeting local needs to build strong, resilient local communities, supported families and improved well being for children.
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Updated: 10 March 2008 |
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The NSW Government has set up a Consultative Reference Committee to examine its proposals for the NSW Electricity Industry. These proposals would see the long term leasing of electricity generators to the private sector and the sale of the retail functions of Energy Australia, Integral Energy and Country Energy. Submissions closed on 8 February 2008 and the Committee is to report on 7 March 2008.
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Updated: 7 March 2008 |
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| 2007 Community Development and Support Expenditure (CDSE) Guidelines |
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The Minister for Gaming and Racing introduced new Guidelines for the Community Development and Support Expenditure (CDSE) Scheme in November 2007.
More information on CDSE is available on the Clubs NSW website. To enquire about CDSE, email Emma Cannen, ClubsNSW CDSE Coordinator at cdse@clubsnsw.com.au or call 02 9268 3057.
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Updated: 7 March 2008 |
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| Sub Regional Strategies for Sydney |
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The State Government has now to released most of the draft Subregional Strategies for Sydney that were foreshadowed in its Metropolitan Strategy City of Cities, released in December 2005.
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Updated: 30 January 2008 |
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New Research on Compacts
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Compacts or ‘written agreements’ between governments and the community sector have been developed in several countries over the past decade. This literature review by John Casey provides valuable insights into some of the major ‘lessons’ learnt, within an international context.
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Updated: 30 January 2008 |
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The Cancer Council NSW, NCOSS and the NSW Community Transport Organisation commissioned a study of community transport in this state. The report, the first of its kind, examines the pressures faced by community transport providers in providing non-emergency health-related transport. One-third of the state's community transport providers were surveyed, including those servicing remote and indigenous communities.
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Updated: 17 December 2007 |
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| Commonwealth State Territory Disability Agreement (CSTDA) |
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The Commonwealth State Territory Disability Agreement, CSTDA, is a joint five year Agreement between the Australian Government and the governments of the states and territories about the provision of funding to support people with disabilities. The third CSTDA ended on 30 June 2007 and negotiations have been extended for six months. However many in the NSW disability sector have serious concerns.
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Updated: 20 July 2007 |
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| SACS Award Campaign for Commonwealth Funding |
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In 2006-07, following a strong campaign from the sector, the NSW Government agreed to provide 3.3% indexation to all State funded services, including the State portion of programs jointly funded by the Commonwealth and the State. For HACC services, 3.3% for services was negotiated through the HACC State plan, but the Commonwealth’s share was taken out of growth. The Commonwealth did not provide indexation at a level that would meet SACS increases.
Click on the link above to access the campaign kit – let’s work together to secure a minimum 3.3%!
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Updated: 13 July 2007 |
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