The Election - What NFPs Say!

The long federal election campaign means different things to different people…and the Not for Profit sector is no different, gauging from the issues being put up for debate via media releases in recent weeks.

Welfare umbrella group ACOSS (the Australian Council of Social Services) has called on all political parties to commit to delivering on 5 key ‘needs’ for Australians.

ACOSS says it has identified the areas of most need as; housing, help with the costs of children, services, jobs and fairness for indigenous Australians.

ACOSS president, Andrew McCallum says the election on October 9th should not be about gimmicks and give-aways but rather the real issues.

The Cancer Council of Australia, Australia’s peak non-government cancer control organisation has weighed in with its own list of election priorities.

The Cancer Council says it is seeking a commitment from all political parties on the eight priorities listed below.

– A comprehensive tobacco control program
– A national cancer care agency
– Improving rural, regional and Indigenous services
– Increased support for cancer research
– Support for clinical trials capacity building
– A national SunSmart program
– A comprehensive nutrition and physical activity program
– A national colorectal screening program

CCA says when Australians look to the efforts of federal governments at reducing the impact of cancer, they will see success mixed with under-achievement.

It says while federal policy makers have contributed to a 30% improvement in cancer survival rates over the past two decades, cancer incidence remains unacceptably high. There is considerable scope for enhanced prevention, treatment, support and cost saving.

Quit Victoria added its voice to support Labor’s pledge to increase funding to anti-smoking programs by $21 million.

Quit says additional funds in tobacco control would mean long term savings for the Australian health care system of $1.4 billion.

Another Not for Profit has declared Child Care as a crucial issue for the Federal Election.

The National Association of Community Based Child Care Services released a set of demands calling for all political parties to commit to retaining and developing community owned, Not for Profit children’s services.

Its media campaign slogan is “Children – Too Precious For Profit”. The group says child care needs to be about more than tax concession and focus on capital funding for new community-run services and on improving wages for child care workers while protecting affordability for families.

Another group is ranking political candidates across Australia according to their party’s refugee policy reform.

Called the Justice Report, the group was set up in June this year by former Liberal Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser, prominent lawyer, Julian Burnside QC and Young Australian of the Year Hugh Evans.

Burnside says the candidates’ rankings will be derived from a questionnaire being issued nationally which will then be part of their campaign to give Australians the opportunity to vote for refugee friendly politicians.

The Brotherhood of St Laurence has entered the 2004 election arena with an Advance Australia Fairly campaign calling for government policies that include all Australians.

The Brotherhood is opposing what it says is the exclusion of millions of Australians from full time jobs, affordable housing, quality aged care and education opportunities.

Dr Stephen Ziguras, Brotherhood of St Laurence Research and Policy Manager says the Advance Australia Fairly campaign is asking Australians to think about someone other than themselves when they go to the polling booth.

These organisations have issued their campaign media releases through AAP that goes into newsrooms across the country!

Our Online Instant Poll this week asks Not for Profits ‘which election policies will benefit the sector more?’ Vote online now!