Comments by Mark Lyons, Professor of Social Economy, University of Technology, Sydney

In an amendment to chapter 12 of the draft national platform, a chapter devoted to "Developing Australian Industry," the Conference committed Labor "in consultation with the sector and state governments," to encourage the development of a national regulatory framework that would "stimulate the development of a broad range of community or 'not-for-profit' organisations; encourage donor confidence, set reasonable standards for public disclosure, (but) would not attempt to inhibit the public advocacy role of the sector." Adobe Acrobat PDF (31 Kb) Chapter Twelve - Developing Australian Industry.

Interestingly, the National Roundtable for Nonprofit organisations, resolved at its October 2003 meeting to commence a review of the legal and regulatory frameworks of nonprofit organisations, with a view to reducing the current plethora of contradictory acts and regulations to a single piece of legislation, a specialist national regulator, and tax concessions based on a clear set of principles and goals.