Facebook To Engage Community Sector in Remote Australia

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The Federal Government’s Australian Charities and Not for Profits Commission (ACNC) has launched a Facebook page in the hope of facilitating ongoing engagement with people living in rural and remote areas.

With a series of face-to-face consultations with those engaged with the Not for Profit sector set to commence this week, the Government says that the establishment of the Facebook page will complement existing digital communications channels such as the taskforce’s website and YouTube channel to aid those living in non-metropolitan areas to participate more easily.

The head of the Implementation Taskforce for the ACNC, Susan Pascoe, said that these digital platforms will assist in engaging with a broad range of people across Australia to help them find out more about the new Charities Regulator.

“People living in all parts of Australia, whether in regional, rural or metropolitan areas, are increasingly connecting to social media and online networks,” Pascoe said. “The use of these tools allows members of the community opportunity to voice their opinions and make themselves heard.”

Pascoe said that the taskforce is committed to building a relationship of trust and transparency with the community. “Online engagement plays an important role in this,” she said.

According to the taskforce website, the consultations will aim to ensure that there is a high level of community involvement and to address and listen to concerns relating to the role of the ACNC.

“This presents a great opportunity for members of the public to raise issues relating to the new reporting framework, the public information portal and education the new regulator will provide to support the sector,” Pascoe said.

“The outcomes of community consultations will inform the final shape of the reporting framework, information portal and education strategy.”

Set up by the Gillard Government, the ACNC will be an independent regulator for the Not for Profit sector with a staff of around 90 officers, reporting to Parliament through the Treasurer.

Treasury will be responsible for policy and legislation with respect to regulation and taxation of the sector including: developing legislation for the ACNC, providing a statutory definition of “charity”, reviewing fundraising legislation and ‘Companies Limited by Guarantee’ and investigating reforms relating to tax concessions and public ancillary funds.

A spokeswoman for Treasury said that the community consultations have received a “huge response” with many sessions oversubscribed.

Sessions are being held in capital cities and Townsville from 30 January to 13 February 2012. Treasury has advised those keen to attend to check the website for available sessions.

Read our coverage of the ACNC taskforce here.