What the Parties are Offering!

The Federal Election juggernaut is in full swing with the Not for Profit sector being offered titbits along the way. Last week, both the Liberal/Coalition and Labor announced policies of interest. Here’s a snapshot:

Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd chose volunteers as his NFP target.
Here’s what was said:

A Rudd Labor Government will launch a significantly revamped and expanded Volunteer Grants Program and — for the first time — it will help community volunteers meet the soaring cost of petrol.

Under Federal Labor’s Volunteer Grants Program, almost 27,000 voluntary non-profit community organisations will be eligible to receive financial assistance.

Federal Labor’s expanded three-year $69 million program will make it easier for volunteer community organisations to claim the financial support they deserve.

– Federal Labor’s expanded and improved Volunteer Grants Program will:
– Inject $15 million of additional funding into the program over three years to ensure an estimated 6,000 additional organisations benefit from the program;
– For the first time allow volunteer community organisations to apply for funding to purchase petrol vouchers; and
– Roll the two existing Federal Government community organisation support programs into one streamlined, expanded and improved Volunteer Grants Program.

Federal Labor’s expanded Volunteer Grants Program will allow community organisations to apply for grants of up to $3,000.

Under Federal Labor’s plan, volunteer organisations could receive petrol vouchers, for example 120 vouchers of $25 each, and the organisation could distribute these to their volunteers to help offset petrol costs.

Federal Labor will also fund equipment and facilities such as:
– Tools
– Computers
– Microwaves
– Kettles
– Sporting equipment
– Uniforms

The Liberal/Coalition addressed older Australians, carers and disability support pensioners in its NFP target.

Here’s what was said:

….We announce that a re-elected Coalition Government will increase and extend the Utilities Allowance for older Australia.

The Utilities Allowance for older Australians will be increased from $107.20 to $500 a year for a single and $500 a year for a couple from 20 March 2008. This increase will benefit more than two million older Australians on income support at a cost of $2.7 billion over four years.

CARERS
The Coalition recognises the vital role that carers play in our society and the tremendous emotional and financial burden they carry. A re-elected Coalition Government will extend the Utilities Allowance for the first time ever to all carers in receipt of Carer Payment from 20 March 2008. Around 120,000 carers will benefit from the extension at a cost of $183 million over four years.

DISABILITY SUPPORT PENSIONERS
Recognising that many people in receipt of Disability Support Pension are profoundly disabled and unable to benefit from the current strong labour market, a re-elected Coalition Government will pay the Utilities Allowance to all Disability Support pensioners. More than 700,000 pensioners will benefit at a cost of $841 million over four years.

SELF FUNDED RETIREES
Where Labor State Governments have failed to extend important Seniors Concessions to self funded retirees, the Coalition has extended eligibility for the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card to around 250,000 older Australians whose retirement is self funded. A re-elected Coalition Government will increase the Seniors Concession Allowance paid to self funded retirees. Seniors Concession Allowance will more than double to $500 from June 2008 benefiting around 250,000 self funded retirees at a cost of $227 million over four years.

A re-elected Coalition Government will guarantee that, if living costs for pensioners increase faster than general inflation or wages, pensions will be topped up to ensure pensioners are fully compensated for increases in the cost of living.

A re-elected Coalition Government will use some of the proceeds of a new Climate Change Fund to lessen the impact on pensioners and other low income households of the move to a carbon constrained world.

For more information go to www.alp.org.au and www.liberal.org.au/info/news