Community services priorities for the 2019 Federal Election

In order to build a fairer society and stronger communities, it is vital that we properly resource community services, and build a policy framework that ensures our community services are high quality. Community services play a central role in alleviating poverty and disadvantage, reducing social and economic inequality, creating opportunity and building our social fabric.  Our policy proposals are designed to build community services that deliver for everyone, and address poverty and disadvantage.

Key proposals

  • Redesign community service delivery to put community control and development at the heart of design
  • Restore and improve funding for community services
  • Improve access to early childhood education and care
  • Ensure equality for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in their early years
  • Properly index all grants and contracts across the community sector
  • Maintain funding for fair wages and quality services
  • Restore and lift funding for peaks and advocacy organisations so that marginalised voices are heard in public policy debate
  • Rethink competition policy and its application to human service delivery
  • Put people and communities using services at the centre of commissioning
  • Improve funding transition processes to reduce uncertainty and disruption
  • Commit to fund and support advocacy by the representatives of people and communities experiencing poverty and disadvantage as a legitimate part of national public debate.
  • Increase the duration of standard contracts for community sector funding.
  • Increase community sector participation in decision-making, policy development and governance structures
  • Reform outdated fundraising laws and regulation
  • Amend the ACNC’s governing legislation to improve its operation
Download full community services election priorities here