Our achievements

Key achievements so far:

• For the first time in Australia, the disparate parts of the nonprofit sector have come together as a cohesive group to build the Roundtable and set its priorities & directions.

• With voluntary effort by members, the Roundtable is constituted and positioned to take the lead in its own affairs and to deal with externally imposed imperatives.

• After looking at similar international bodies, the Roundtable has determined our policy priorities as public education, regulatory reform and financial sustainability.

• Our work in establishing the Roundtable has furnished a body of knowledge about the broad sector that is invaluable to nonprofit organisations, their decision makers and staff alike.

• The Roundtable is now recognised by public policy makers as a body that can be contacted to represent the sector.
  

Current activities include:

• Representing the sector and providing information to the Australian Bureau of Statistics on their expanded capacity to collect statistics on nonprofit organisations. The ABS will produce a new Nonprofit Institutions Satellite Account for 2006 - 07 and then every three years after.

• As part of the COAG reform agenda, the Roundtable coordinated consultations in Victoria on improving nonprofit law and regulation. Subsequently, we responded to the Victorian government’s options paper, Improving Not-for-profit Law and Regulation and its initiative, Reducing the Regulatory Burden and continue to provide assistance and advice to the Government.

• Discussing the viability and scope of an independent inquiry into the sector to assist in defining the future for the sector and increasing public recognition of its work.

• Providing input into the Australian Accounting Standards Board on the accountability requirements for nonprofits.

• In partnership with the University of Technology, Sydney, convening a “think tank” to discuss and progress issues arising from UTS research on the sector’s access to financial capital.

• Establishing international relationships with sister bodies such as the National Council for Voluntary Organisations in the UK and the Independent Sector in the USA.

• Continuing addresses to Board and Council meetings on current policy. Recent speakers include the Secretary of the Department of Family and Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, Victoria’s Deputy Premier, Professor Mark Lyons (UTS) and Professor Myles McGregor-Lowndes (QUT).

• Ongoing research and engagement with cross sections of the sector on matters such as new approaches to capital funding, regulatory reform, accountability and transparency, negotiating with government and business on these matters.