Reducing Red Tape
The first theme of the Victorian Government’s Action Plan: Strengthening Community Organisations focuses on ways that Government will reduce the amount of administrative and regulatory burden (Reducing Red Tape) for not-for-profit (NFP) community organisations, and streamline their interaction with Government.
Actions under this theme are designed to relieve the burden of regulatory compliance and reporting to reflect a contemporary distribution of risk. The actions also outline reforms to legislation which simplify and update the Associations Incorporation Act 1981 and the Fundraising Appeals Act 1998.
The 11 actions under this theme are:
- Action 1: Reducing the regulatory burden of reporting
- Action 2: Review of audit requirements **
- Action 3: Regulatory consistency
- Action 4: Amendments to trading and model rules **
- Action 5: Additional administrative reforms **
- Action 6: Update of the Fundraising Appeals Act **
- Action 7: Enhancing regulatory awareness and support
- Action 8: Enhanced regulatory support
- Action 9: Ensuring service agreement consistency
- Action 10: Grants Reform
- Action 11: Inter-governmental collaboration and reform
The Office for the Community Sector has progressed work in a number of these action areas in the last twelve months.
** Actions 2, 4, 5 and 6 relate to legislative reform. Read more about progress on these Legislative reforms.
Enhancing Regulatory Awareness and Engagement
Action 7 of the Action Plan highlights the need for greater awareness of changes to the regulatory environment, for both government and NFP community organisations.
In April 2009, the Office for the Community Sector engaged Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu to identify actions that would improve the way that Government communicates information on existing regulations and the introduction of new regulations.
The project was developed in consultation with a range of NFP community organisations representing the diverse nature and geographical spread of the sector. The Enhancing Regulatory Awareness and Engagement Report (PDF 486 kb) or (Word 551 kb) is available to be downloaded.
Ensuring service agreement consistency
Action 9 of the Action Plan aims to drive greater consistency in service agreements and accreditation systems used between government and NFP organisations. In 2009, the Office for the Community Sector has initiated projects to progress work under this action.
Core Terms and Conditions Project
The Office for the Community Sector has undertaken an extensive review of the funding agreements which the Victorian Government uses when funding NFP community organisations. The results of this review informed a project which is currently investigating options for the development of a core set of terms and conditions for use in service agreements and grants across the Victorian State Government. More information on the progress of this project will be available in November 2009.
Better Integrated Standards and Quality Assurance System Project
In April 2009, the OCS engaged the University of Melbourne to conduct a research project aimed at developing a technology that will reduce the burden resulting from the multitude of service quality standards and accreditation systems. This technology would allow for the elimination of duplication in associated reporting elements and the removal of redundant processes.
The final report Reducing the Burden – Increasing the Impact (PDF 1293 kb) or (Word 1882 kb) is available to be downloaded.
Victorian Standard Chart of Accounts
Under Action 10, Government is committed to reducing the complexity of the grant making environment.
Work of the Office for the Community Sector under this action includes the initiation of a project to develop a Victorian Standard Chart of Accounts, similar to those used in Queensland, Western Australia and New South Wales. The Standard Chart of Accounts will streamline the financial terms used in grant making, and reporting by NFP community organisations. More information on the project will be available in November 2009.
Return to the OCS home page
Back to About the Office for the Community Sector
Read more about the Background to the Action Plan
Linked page opens in a new window