|
Policy Submissions
Each year Volunteering Australia makes submissions on government policy and other public policy matters that impact on or have relevance for volunteering. These submissions are informed by consultation and research, and include an annual federal budget submission outlining our vision for investment in volunteering.
2009 Submissions
November 2009 – Volunteering Australia’s submission to the Productivity Commission on the Draft Research Report – Contribution of the Not for Profit Sector. Download report [PDF 495kb]
September 2009 – Response by Volunteering Australia to an invitation to comment on the Draft National Compact Consultation Paper – Learn, work, engage, have a voice. Download report [PDF 833kb]
May 2009 - Volunteering Australia's submission to the Productivity Commission on the Contribution of the not for profit sector. Download report [PDF 117kb]
2008 Submissions
December 2008 - Feedback Report on the Discussion Paper: Towards a National Strategy for Volunteering.
September 2008 - Discussion paper: Towards a National Volunteer Strategy, calling for the development of a National Volunteer Strategy that will engage the sector and gain the support of all levels of government.
September 2008 - A National Compact: A submission from the national, state and territory volunteering peak centres. As part of the federal government's agenda on social inclusion, Senator Ursula Stephens, Parliamentary Secretary for Social Inclusion and the Voluntary Sector, invited VA and other peak bodies to comment on the potential for developing a national compact between government and the not-for-profit sector.
July 2008 - There has been much discusion regarding the Federal Government’s interest in a “Youth Corp” program that would allow students to reduce their HECS fee obligations through their volunteering. The subject has already evoked considerable discussion and this is likely to be ongoing. Read Volunteering Australia's paper submitted to the Federal Government: The reduction of HECS debt through Community Service.
June 2008 - The current picture of volunteering in Australia - International Year of the Volunteers (IYV) follow-up report to the UN General Assembly
April 2008 - Creating a Vision for the Future of Volunteering and the Voluntary Sector in Australian Society, Strengthening Communities and Supporting Working Families – Australia 2020 Summit Submission. As an enduring legacy of the Australia 2020 Summit, Volunteering Australia calls for the establishment of The Commission on the Future of Volunteering in Australia. This paper sets out Volunteering Australia’s proposal for creating a vision for the future of volunteering and the voluntary sector in Australian society.
2007 Submissions
January 2007 - Federal Budget Submission 2007-08 - Volunteering Australia's submission to the Australian Government in the lead-up to the 2007-08 Federal Budget. The submission calls for government to consider implementing one or more of the options outlined in the report The Rising Costs of Volunteering for addressing out-of-pocket costs to volunteers. The submission also highlights the opportunities for supporting volunteers into the future that are outlined in the 2006 submission Strengthening and Sustaining Volunteering in Australia.
2006 Submissions
November 2006: Strengthening and Sustaining Volunteering in Australia - A submission to the Australian Government recognising the pivotal role of government in sustaining and advancing volunteering into the future by continuing to build on existing supports. The submission outlines 18 major steps to further develop volunteering in Australia.
January 2006: Submission in Response to the Victorian Department of Justice's Regulatory Impact Statement, "Working with Children Regulations 2006" - A submission building on Volunteering Australia's contributions to this issue to date, this paper seeks to assist the Victorian Government in identifying the correct balance between the interests of volunteering and our community's need to protect children.
January 2006: Federal Budget Submission 2006-07 - Volunteering Australia's submission to the Federal Government in the lead up to the 2006-07 Federal Budget. This submission contains two key recommendations: that the personal tax income system allow volunteers to claim deductions for out of pocket expenses related to their volunteering, and that the National Volunteer Skills Program be reinstated with a focus on those groups under-represented in volunteering.
2005 Submissions
November 2005: Submission on the Proposed Industrial Relations Reforms (Work Choices, 2005) - Submission to the Senate's Employment, Workplace Relations and Education Committee outlining the possible impact of the industrial relations reforms, including the concern that a reduction of paid workers' free time may impact on participation in volunteering, in particular older volunteers who may experience an increase in caring responsibilities for their grand children and other family members.
September 2005: Response to "Striking the balance: Women, Men, Work and Family" - A response to the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission's discussion paper, this submission contains employment profiles of volunteering and an overview of men's and women's contribution to volunteering. This paper puts forward some suggestions to counteract the pressures of paid work and caring on volunteering, exploring the role of volunteer organisations, businesses and government in addressing the impact of paid work and other unpaid work on volunteering in Australia.
September 2005: Submission on the ABS Census for 2006 - A submission to the Treasurer concerning the wording of the question on volunteering in the ABS Census for 2006 and the instructions accompanying the question. This paper requests that changes be made to ensure that the most accurate figures on volunteering emerge from the census.
September 2005: Submission on Corporate Responsibility - A submission in response to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services' inquiry into corporate responsibility recommending that reporting practices be refocused to measure benefits to not for profit organisations and the community, in addition to the investments made by their corporate beneficiaries.
August 2005: National Roundtable of Nonprofit Organisations' Submission to the ATO - A joint submission by the National Roundtable of Nonprofit Organisations in response to the Australian Taxation Office's Draft Taxation Rulings TR 2005/D6 and TR 2005/D7.
June 2005: Response to "Patterns of Volunteering in Emerging Communities" - A response to the Department for Victorian Communities' discussion paper, this submission provides an overview of Volunteering Australia's experience of the patterns of volunteering in culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities and the motivations of CALD volunteers. The submission also details some of the barriers affecting volunteering in CALD communities and strategies to overcome these barriers.
April 2005: Submission in Response to the Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts' discussion papers - Submission outlining the current role and potential of information and communication technology in the volunteering sector, and barriers constraining the effective use of ICT.
March 2005: Submission on "Aged and Community Services in Australia: a Framework" - A submission recommending that the Aged and Community Services Framework explicitly recognise the contribution of volunteering in community care, and that this contribution be supported and developed.
March 2005: Response to Discussion Paper, "Skilling Australia - new directions for Vocational Education and Training" - Submission in response to the Department of Education and Training's paper, "Skilling Australia - New Directions for Vocational Education adn Training", which outlines the connections between VET and volunteering and the need for the volunteering voice to be amplified in the national training system.
February 2005: Submission in Response to the Victorian Department of Justice's Discussion Paper, "Working with Children Bill 2005" - A response to the Victorian Department of Justice detailing the potential impacts on the volunteering sector of the proposals raised in the discussion paper, "Working with Children Bill 2005", and Volunteering Australia's recommendations regarding Working with Children Checks.
2004 Submissions
October 2004: Submission to the Productivity Commission's Study, "Economic Implications of an Ageing Australia" - A submission outlining the impact of an ageing population on volunteering. The major themes discussed in this paper include the volunteering sector's experience of working with older volunteers, the relationship between employment and volunteering, and the characteristics of the baby boomer cohort.
October 2004: "Supporting Volunteering in Australia" - A paper prepared for the major political parties outlining Volunteering Australia's proposals for increased government support to strengthen and support volunteers, volunteer involving organisations and volunteering.
2003 Submissions
August 2003: Submission in Response to the ABS Information Paper, "Census Population and Housing: ABS views on Content and Procedures 2006" - This submission to the ABS proposes that a question on whether or not household respondents undertake volunteer work, and the frequency of this work, be included in the National Census.
March 2003: Response to the Discussion Starter on the Next National Strategy for Vocational Education and Training, "Shaping our Future" - This response aims to draw the Australian National Training Authority's attention to the present state (as at March, 2003) and the potential of volunteering and volunteer training in Australia. It highlights the importance of training and education for volunteers, managers of volunteers and committees and boards.
February 2003: Submission on Proposals for Commonwealth Age Discrimination Legislation - A submission in response to an invitation to comment on the information paper, "Proposals for Commonwealth Age Discrimination Legislation", this paper puts forward the view that the provisions of the proposed Age Discrimination Bill should extend explicitly to volunteers.
February 2003: Response to the Youth Participation Certificate Consultation Questions - Response on behalf of the network of volunteer resource centres and volunteering peak bodies to the Australian National Training Authority's questions regarding the Youth Participation Certificate.
2002 Submissions
September 2002: Submission to the Core Consultative Group on Age Discrimination - A submission outlining the volunteering implications of the proposed Age Discrimination bill. This paper supports the development of a bill that prohibits discrimination on the grounds of age, and advocates that this be explicitly extended to cover volunteers.
August 2002: Submission to the Principles Based Review of the Law of Negligence - A submission advocating against the exemption of not for profit organsiations from damages claims for death or personal injury due to the potential impact this would have on volunteering in Australia.
May 2002: Submission to the Inquiry into the Impact of Public Liability and Professional Indemnity Insurance Cost Increases - A submission to the Economics References Committee outlining the impact of insurance premium increases on not for profit organisations, and the consequences this holds for volunteering in Australia and, ultimately, the broader community.
March 2002: Submission to the Ministerial Meeting on Public Liability Insurance - In addition to outlining the impact that rising public liability costs have on the volunteering sector, this submission also emphasises the impact of other insurances such as professional indemnity insurance, volunteer personal accident insurance and directors' and officers' liability insurance.
|
