The Blueprint Expert Reference Group (BERG) latest updates
Attendees at the February 2023 BERG meeting: (left to right) Libby Cremen, Matt Gardiner, Jacky Rowbotham, Cassandra Goldie, Kasy Chambers, Catherine Liddle, Karen Pickering, Mark Pearce, Beth Hall, Toby oConnor.
The BERG Terms of Reference are available below.
BERG Terms of Reference 5 May 2023
BERG members are:
- Matt Gardiner, CEO, 54 reasons
- Cassandra Goldie, CEO, Australian Council of Social Service
- Kasy Chambers, CEO Anglicare Australia
- Catherine Liddle, CEO, Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care
- Mark Pearce, CEO, Volunteering Australia
- Mohammad Al Khafaji, CEO, Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils
- Toby oConnor, CEO, St Vincent de Paul Society National Council of Australia
- Jeff Smith, CEO, Disability Advocacy Network Australia (DANA)
- Ian Hamm, Chair of the Board of Directors, First Nations Foundation
- Chris D’Souza, A/g Group Manager, Department of Social Services.
- Expert advisers to BERG: Professor Jo Barraket, Director of the Melbourne Social Equity Institute, University of Melbourne and Professor David Gilchrist, Director of the Centre for Public Value at the University of Western Australia.
The next BERG meeting is scheduled for 5 September 2023 - a communique will be provided on this webpage.
Communiques
Background
The 2022-23 October Budget provided the Development of the Not-for-profit (NFP) Sector Development Blueprint (the Blueprint) and doubling philanthropic giving by 2030 measure to develop a sector led not for profit Blueprint as a roadmap towards providing the NFP sector with support and strategic direction to expand their services in coming years. The measure includes two components:
- A Blueprint to provide a roadmap for government reforms and sector led initiatives to boost the sector’s capacity to support and reconnect Australian communities; and
- A Review of Philanthropy (the Review) to understand trends in philanthropic giving in Australia, the underlying drivers of these trends, and to identify opportunities and obstacles to increasing such giving.
The Treasury will deliver the Review of Philanthropy - doubling philanthropic giving by 2030 through the Productivity Commission. The department is working closely with the Treasury to ensure findings are made in alignment, consultation is holistic, and final recommendations to Government form a cohesive package for reform.
The BERG will consult with the community sector to develop the Issues Paper setting out priority areas for reform for the sector prior to Blueprint development. The BERG will have opportunities to consult broadly with the NFP sector through the Australian Charities and Not-for-profit Commission (ACNC).
The BERG will conduct consultation on the areas raised in the Issues Paper, which will shape the BERG’s recommendations on options to increase the sector’s effectiveness in the final Blueprint delivered to Government.
In addition to the Blueprint, Community Services Advisory Group (CSAG) has been identified as the key consultation mechanism for the election commitment to a Stronger and more diverse Community Sector to influence broader grant funding reforms across the Commonwealth and consider options for greater innovation.
For further information on the NFP sector development blueprint, please contact blueprintexpertreferencegroup@dss.gov.au.
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