anztsr newsletter · anztsr newsletter 2012 volume 18, ... and are either nonprofit or for-profits...

ANZTSR Newsletter 2012 Volume 18, Issue 4. of 18

ANZTSR Newsletter

2012

Volume 18

Issue 4

Welcome everyone to the December 2012 issue.

From the Newsletter Editor

This is our last newsletter for 2012. It provides readers with a ‘taste’ of the 2012 Conference,

‘Sustainability and the Third Sector’, which was held in Hobart from the 22nd

to the 24th

of

November. Thanks to those who contributed to this edition. I wish all readers the

compliments of the season and look forward to working with you in 2013.

Dr. Phil Saj

University of Adelaide Business School

North Terrace, Adelaide SA 5005, Australia Email: [email protected]

Introduction

The 2012 Australian and New Zealand Third Sector Research Incorporated conference,

‘Sustainability and the Third Sector’, was held at the Baha’i Centre of Learning for Tasmania

from November 22nd

to 24th

2012. The conference was officially opened by The Hon Mark

Butler MP, Minister for Mental Health and Ageing, abd Minister for Social Inclusion.

Keynote speakers at the conference were Robert Fitzgerald AM (Productivity Commissioner

and Chair of the ACNC Advisory Board), Professor John Mohan (Deputy Director of the

Third Sector Research Centre) and Glen Appleyard (Member of the Not-For-Profit Reform

Council). More than sixty papers were presented by researchers from universities and third

sector organisations. The conference also included panel discussions from a range of third

sector practitioners and social entrepreneurs. What follows are reports from delegates on

each of the conference events. Photographs were provided by Rosemary Hermans, Lorraine

Kerr, Patricia Webster and Phil Saj.

A

ustralian & New Zealand

Third Sector Research

Incorporated

C/- Sharron Skelly

School of Psychology, Social Work & Social Policy University of South

Australia GPO Box 2471 Adelaide, SA 5001.

Ph: (08) 8302 4840

Fax: (08) 8302 4377

E-mail: [email protected]

Web: www.anztsr.org.au


Welcome Event and Registration – 6.30pm Wednesday November 22nd

Dr Sue King, Dr Heather Douglas and Dr Yu Xing Students from St Michael’s Collegiate School Hobart

The sound of a string quartet filled the foyer of the Tasmanian School of Art. The music,

played by a four students of the St Michael’s Collegiate School Hobart, provided that

wonderful mix of intensity and relaxation that only the baroque provides. The scene was set

for delegates to assemble. And so we did- stretching out after the flight to Hobart, catching

up with colleagues not encountered for some time, making new connections, or simply

enjoying the conviviality. After a few words of welcome from the Chair of ANZTSR,

Professor Ed Carson; the conference organiser, Dr Megan Alessandrini; and the editors of

Third Sector Review, Dr Rosemary Leonard and Dr Ruth Phillips; delegates continued to

enjoy the music, the company, and the cool Hobart evening.. (Phil Saj)

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Conference Opening – 8.45 am Thursday November 23rd

Professor Ed Carson, Chair of ANZTSR

Proceedings commenced with a few words from the Chair, Professor Ed Carson, including

an acknowledgement of the traditional owners of the country around what is now Hobart, the

Mouheneenner. Delegates then welcomed to the podium the Honourable Mark Butler MP,

Minister for Mental Health and Ageing, and Minister for Social Inclusion, who, in a broad

ranging address formally opened the conference.


Opening Address: The Honourable Mark Butler MP, Minister for Mental Health and

Ageing, and Minister for Social Inclusion - 8.50 am Thursday November 23rd

The Hon Mark Butler MP, Minister for Mental Health and Ageing, Minister for Social Inclusion.

Minister Butler began by noting the key characteristics of the Australian third sector,

highlighting the ways in which, historically, third sector agencies have worked together,

playing a central role, not only in the provision of services, but in contributing to civil society

and promoting social inclusion. “The third sector has become a quintessential part of the

Australian social fabric”, he said. In the near future, according to Minister Butler, key issues

will be the co-operation between the Commonwealth and State and Territory Governments,

and the reduction in ‘red tape”, including standardisation of service contracts. Importantly,

the Minister noted the recent significant growth in third sector employment and flagged as

critical issues workforce development and volunteering.

The Minister explicitly acknowledged the importance of third sector research. He also

advised that the Commonwealth Government has asked service providers to align themselves

with researchers so that programmes can be evaluated. He expressed the desire to engage

with third sector scholars who produce evidence based research in order to establish, “what

works and what does not”, particularly in respect of innovation. As well, he noted the recent

announcement that the Australian Bureau of Statistics would produce satellite accounts that

will properly measure the economic contribution of the third sector.


In closing, the Minister advised delegates that legislation is to be introduced into Federal

Parliament to ensure that not-for-profit organisations are not prohibited from engaging in the

public policy debate and advocating strongly. He noted moves by the Queensland

Government to “gag” not-for-profits that are in receipt of government funding. (Phil Saj)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Key Note Speaker Thursday November 22nd

: Mr. Robert Fitzgerald AM, Productivity

Commissioner and Chair ACNC Advisory Board – 9.15 am Thursday November 22nd

Mr. Robert Fitzgerald AM, Productivity Commissioner and Chair ACNC Advisory Board

Robert Fitzgerald commenced his wide ranging address by posing the question, “Are we

there yet? Noting the relentless development of the case for sound regulation of the third

sector, beginning with the Industry Commission of 1995 and up to and beyond the 2010

Productivity Commission Report, he acknowledged that the sector has consistently endorsed

the reform agenda over this twenty seven year period.

Robert Fitzgerald also noted that Australia’s third sector is 200 years old. For much of this

time it has taken the lead in service provision and policy development, but recently it has

often lagged government. He noted also that the sector is not just concerned with service

delivery - its contribution is deeper. The sector is growing (at least 7% per annum according

to the Productivity Commission, but the true figure will be known when the upcoming ABS

satellite accounts for the sector are produced. A key concern for the sector, and for


government, is the development of evidence based evaluations, in particular, concerning the

impact of third sector organisations. Philanthropists and also the broader community wish to

know if the sector delivers value for money.

Has the time come? Just about, it seems. The establishment of the Office of the Third Sector

within the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet provides the essential “receptor’ in

government, but further consolidation of reform is needed by way of co-operation between

the Commonwealth, State and Territory Governments. (Phil Saj)

Social Traders Panel with Mark Daniels Thursday November 22nd

-10.00 am Thursday

November 22nd

Mark Daniels from Social Traders

Mark Daniels from Social Traders presented a session on social enterprise practice and

policy with a practitioner and a policy officer from the Tasmanian Department of Economic

Development.

Social enterprises have a mission to create social and public benefit, trade to achieve their

mission, and generate a substantial proportion of the organisation’s income (approximately

50% for established organisations) and are either nonprofit or for-profits that reinvest most of

their income to achieve their public benefit purpose. Social Traders acts as an intermediary,

offers patient loans to new social enterprises to support their development, facilitates the

development of appropriate outcome and impacts, builds capacity in the sector, supports

research, and connects with other intermediaries in the sector such as SVA, Social Firms

Australia, School for Social Entrepreneurs.


There are 3 main types of social enterprises: 1: those functioning to create employment for

disadvantaged people; 2: those organising direct services; and 3: those generating income to

support the function of nonprofit organisations. There have been significant developments in

the social enterprise space over the past few years, including a significant commitment by the

WA government in establishing a social innovation investment fund. Three current issues for

the social enterprise sector are:

managing mission and money,

supporting alliances to development skills exchanges, and

developing suitable policy frameworks and infrastructure to support the sector.

(Heather Douglas)

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NGO Practitioners Panel: Experiences of Sustainability in the Third Sector. Mr Tony

Reidy, TasCOSS; Mr Noel Mundy, Mission Australia TAS; Ms Therese Taylor,

Colony 47; and Ms Maxine Griffiths, Lifeline Tasmania - 1.45 pm Thursday November

22nd

Dr Megan Alessandrini introducing Ms Therese Taylor, Ms Maxine Griffiths

Mr Noel Mundy and Mr Tony Reidy

Four diverse Tasmanian human service agencies came together to present an important panel

in which they explored their understanding of the issue of sustainability of the human

services in the future. TasCOSS, Mission Australia, Colony 47 and Lifeline Tasmania have


much, including size, history and the essence of their mandate, which distinguishes them

from one another. Their presentation of the challenges of economic survival (including very

frank discussions of the strategies they were engaging in to ensure longevity), of staff

recruitment and retention and of mission review and adaptation were thought provoking.

Strikingly, the presentations shared an emphasis on the centrality to their future of not just

responding to the immediate and pressing needs of their clients (whether direct or in the case

of TasCOSS more indirect) but of engaging, with credibility, in advocacy in the community

and specifically the political arena. An increased and broadened community appreciation of

the complex needs of most service recipients and a recognition of the intensity of work

required to address these needs were seen as essential for the sustainability of the sector.

This powerful message from the sector confronted conference attendees who had heard in the

opening addresses about the challenges for the sector in maintaining credibility in an

outcome focused environment. (Sue King)

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Greg Irons Bonorong Park A Social Enterprise: Community Responsibility to Save Our

Wildlife - 4.30 pm Thursday November 22nd

Mr Greg Irons from Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary “The fruits of labour”

ANZTSR has always encouraged the participation of practitioners and as part of the

conference we heard from Greg Irons from Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary, which is an

example of a one of the interesting hybrid organisations that are emerging. Bonorong


Wildlife Sanctuary is a home for injured wildlife and is supported by 800 trained volunteer

rescuers across SE Tasmania who make 4,500 rescues each year. Most animals and birds are

rehabilitated and returned to the bush. It is totally supported by visitors to the Sanctuary,

donations and volunteer labour. Three years ago Greg Irons took over a struggling wildlife

park which was registered as a sole trader enterprise so, officially, it is a for-profit

organisation, but he is running it along cooperative lines where all employees are trained in

all aspects of the organisation and engage in joint decision-making including the setting of

wages. They keep wages at a basic wage level to maximise the resources for directly

assisting native wildlife. Despite its form of incorporation, Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary is a

social enterprise where all staff and volunteers are committed to saving Tasmania’s unique

fauna. (Rosemary Leonard)

Cocktail Party at Government House - 6.00 pm Thursday November 23rd

Dr Megan Alessandrini, The Governor of Tasmania, Mr Peter Underwood AC and

Mrs Underwood, and Dr Phil Saj

On Thursday at 5.30 we all jumped on a double-decker bus to travel the short distance from

the conference venue to Government House, on the Queens Domain. Fifty conference

delegates and partners were cordially invited to a reception to mark our conference in the

wonderful surrounds of Tasmania’s palatial Government House.


Each guest was formally announced and introduced to the Governor and Mrs Underwood,

and canapés and light refreshments were served. Mr and Mrs Underwood were very

hospitable and opened up several rooms for guests to stroll around. The ballroom had several

huge chandeliers with over 4000 crystals each and a huon pine floor. Surprisingly, although

nominally a softwood, the floor has stood up well to two hundred years of wear and tear.

The conservatory enjoyed a vista of the bridge and River Derwent, and the ladies room,

though relatively small, had hand-painted wallpaper and period furniture. The finest of all

was the dining room- with mahogany dining table and chairs, and a number of enormous

portraits. The mirrors are apparently original, and remain awe-inspiring, despite evidence of

some 'silvering’ around the edges.

We are very grateful for the generosity and friendliness of Mr and Mrs Underwood who

showed a great interest in ANZTSR and our research. Delegates were most impressed by this

fairy-tale location and the charm of our hosts. (Megan Alessandrini)

Conference Dinner – Blue Skies Restaurant 7.30 pm Thursday November 23rd

Smiles all round and plenty to talk about at the conference dinner

Thursday’s events provided a pretty hard act to follow. There were outstanding key note

addresses, practitioner presentations and research papers; a ride on a Red London Bus to

Government House; and a beautiful reception there. Undaunted, however, and in fine form

and true spirit, delegates enjoyed a wonderful dinner on Hobart’s renowned waterfront at

Blue Skies Restaurant. (Phil Saj)


Key Note Speaker Glen Appleyard, Not-For-Profit Reform Council - 9.00 am Friday

November 24th

Mr Glen Appleyard from the Not-for-Profit Sector Reform Council

The Not-for-Profit Sector Reform Council was established by the Federal Government in

December 2010 with the objective of helping to drive sector reform. It comprises people

from around Australia who have made a significant contribution to the third sector. In his

address to the conference, Council Member, Mr Glen Appleyard highlighted the following

priorities: the National Compact, streamlining of funding arrangements for service

providers, the establishment of the ACNC, the statutory definition of a charity, taxation

reform, governance, workforce planning, social investment and volunteering. (Phil Saj)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ACNC Task Force Panel Dr Fiona Tweedie & Dr Joyce Chia- 10.00 am Friday

November 24th

Dr Joyce Chia and Dr Fiona Tweedie took the opportunity of participating in the conference

to present an update on the ACNC research agenda and plans for engaging with the third

sector research community. As part of the process of outlining the ACNC Implementation

Task Force projects, including the recent release of an overview paper, they described steps

taken to date to establish a network of colleagues through teleconferences and a possible


Dr Fiona Tweedie and Dr Joyce Chia from the ACNC Taskforce

listserve. They described the Task Force’s work on the production of a map of the

regulatory landscape and a regulatory impact statement.

After outlining the significant developments, Joyce and Fiona engaged in a lively exchange

with the audience members about data collection and prospects of generating open data in

this area. Audience reaction was positive but also appropriately critical, including querying

the merits of increased regulation of the charity organisations. They reiterated the messages

of Robert Fitzgerald, about the need for a champion for open data, and Minister Mark Butler

about the importance of evidence-based policy and planning, and concluded with a plea for

engagement by the third sector research community in lobbying for broader understanding of

the new regulatory regime. (Ed Carson)


Delegates listening Dr Fiona Tweedie and Dr Joyce Chia from the ACNC Taskforce

The ceiling of the main hall in the Baha’i Centre for learning Tasmania (photo Lorraine Kerr)


Concurrent Sessions Thursday November 22nd

and Friday November 23rd

Sessions commenced at 11.30 on the Thursday November 23rd

and continued till 3.30pm on

the Friday. At each session, which ran for ninety minutes, three papers were presented and

discussed. Given the diversity of third sector research, it was no mean feat to schedule the

papers in the way they were. Papers covered a range of issues including advocacy,

sustainability, civil society, accounting, organisational governance, social economy and

social entrepreneurship, volunteerism, criminal justice, gender, philanthropy, organisational

studies, youth issues, and homelessness. A feature of this year’s conference was the strong

showing of presentations by practitioners as well as academics. (Phil Saj)


Professor John Mohan, Professor of Social Policy at the University of Southampton and the Deputy Director of

the Third Sector Research Centre


Key Note Speaker Professor John Mohan Third Sector Research Centre, University of

Southampton, University – 1.45 pm Friday November 24th

Professor John Mohan was the keynote speaker on Friday afternoon. He is both a professor

of Social Policy at the University of Southampton and the Deputy Director of the Third

Sector Research Centre (www.tsrc.ac.uk). John leads a quantitative research team and we

were lucky enough to hear him present on is his current studies on volunteerism, giving and

the trends around these themes.

The address began with a discussion around how the role of the third sector, and the focus of

more direct policy engagement in the UK, has become more prominent. There has been an

opening up of public services and everything is contestable. This has meant that charities,

social enterprises and voluntary organisations can run services and there has been a focus on

localism and decentralism, a shift to devolve power to local government.

John Mohan noted that times have changed and there have been both reductions in direct

support for the third sector as well as marketisation of public services. John questioned

whether communities, “come when they are called”. His research and other surveys found

that there is not a trend either way but rates of volunteering are relatively stable. 25-30% of

people in the survey volunteered monthly with nearly half at least annually, however, the real

participation rate may be higher.

It was interesting to hear about ‘The Big Society’ which is a discourse taking place in the UK

that will have important policy changes that other countries should watch with a keen eye as

to the ways it will impact the development and delivery of welfare provision.

(Rosemary Hermans)

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Concluding Plenary: Ed Carson – 4.15 pm Friday November 24th

All good things must come to pass, and so it was with ANZTSR Hobart 2012. But this “end”

held some significant highlights. Following a few concluding remarks by the Chair, Professor

Ed Carson, delegates enjoyed the opportunity to mark successes in the Early Career

Researcher Prize, the contribution to ANZTSR by Professor Jenny Onyx, and presentation to

the conference organiser, Dr Megan Alessandrini.

https://owa.adelaide.edu.au/owa/redir.aspx?C=iA01YXJgBkKIY-3yk14V-OK_Hm_8ps8IDlSN33brB0B98Xw7VF_DMrLByToCMy_04C7LAt1ZUjM.&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.tsrc.ac.uk


Early Career Researcher Prize

Ms Courtney Webber (left) with the Editors of Third Sector Review, Dr Ruth

Phillips (centre) and Dr Rosemary Leonard (right)

The 2012 ANZTSR Early Career Researcher Prize for the best paper by a person who has

completed their PhD within the last five years was awarded to Ms Courtney Webber , a

University of Tasmania post graduate student in the School of Government, for her paper

titled, “Public Consultation in Tasmania: Changing Relationships between Government and

Community Sectors”. The prize was a book, ANZTSR membership for a year, and assistance

to develop her winning paper for publication. The runner up, who was awarded a certificate

of commendation, was Marion Cornish from University of Western Sydney for her paper

titled, “Exploring Social Networks of Non-Executive Company Directors in Australian Third

Sector Organisations”.

Ms Marion Cornish (centre) with the Editors of Third Sector Review, Dr Ruth

Phillips (left) and Dr Rosemary Leonard (right)


Professor Jenny Onyx Recognised for her Contribution to the ANZTSR

Professor Jenny Onyx (centre) with Ms Courtney Webber (left) who presented the commemorative badge,

And Associate Professor Wendy Earles (right) who spoke on Jenny’s contribution to third sector research

The final plenary session on the 23rd

was an opportunity to mark Professor Jenny Onyx’s

twenty years of service and leadership in third sector research, in Australia and

internationally. Jenny’s contribution in the development of ANZTSR, and in particular her

encouragement and mentoring of others to achieve in research and publication has had a

significant impact. She was presented with an ANZTSR logo commemorative badge to mark

the occasion. Congratulations, Jenny and thank you for your wonderful contribution!

(Wendy Earles)


Thanks to the Conference Organiser Megan Alessandrini

Professor Ed Carson, Chair of ANZTSR with Dr Megan Aleassandrini

Last, but by no means least, delegates expressed a heartfelt “thanks” to Dr Megan

Alessandrini who steered the conference from inception through to the highly successful

event that it was.

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ANZTSR thanks the following for their support in holding the 2012 conference: The

Governor of Tasmania, Mr Peter Underwood AC and Mrs Underwood, Baha’i Centre of

Learning for Tasmania, University of Tasmania, Hobart Bookshop, St Michael’s Collegiate

School Hobart, and MCI Australia.

anztsr newsletter · anztsr newsletter 2012 volume 18, ... and are either nonprofit or for-profits...

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