Wyatt Roy (Longman, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I also rise to speak on the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (Repeal) (No. 1) Bill 2014. This bill seeks to implement the government's election commitment to abolish the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission, or ACNC. The commission was established under the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission Act 2012 and began on 3 December 2012 with legislation introduced by the Rudd-Gillard-Rudd government.

In opposition, we opposed the formation of this new charities regulator—and for very good reason. It is yet another classic red-tape case of a heavy and entirely unnecessary compliance burden making life much more difficult for that key plank of civil society, our charities. Our red-tape demolition agenda, driven by the member for Kooyong and Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister, has crossed out more than $2.1 billion worth of redundant, overbearing and obstructionist legislation and regulation. That is double our target for this year. And this repeal is another important component of that agenda.

The Labor Party dreamed up the ACNC because it did not trust the charitable sector. Their distrust saw Labor once again reaching for their notorious hair trigger on regulation. The coalition government sees things quite differently. We are most reticent to put government and bureaucracy in the way of the functioning, cohesive social order that should underpin our communities. By definition, civil society is that sphere of action sitting between the state, the market and everyday households. It is a space where NGOs and the wider community can realise change through campaigns, voluntary activities and other forms of assistance.

Civil society includes the charitable sector. We, on this side of the House trust our charities and the not-for-profit organisations. Why? Because we believe, and know, that the charitable sector comprises largely good, unselfish and principled people volunteering their time, effort and even financial resources to performing often exceptional deeds on behalf of their communities. These inspiring people—and I celebrate them every year locally with my Longman awards—deserve nothing less than a presumption that honour and integrity is implicit in the work that they do. Labor's instinctive approach, however, was to drag them under the lens of government regulation. That is because Labor established the ACNC on the premise that Australian charities and the not-for-profits were doing something inherently wrong and required muscled-up government oversight. This government utterly rejects that assumption.

The majority of states have not even signed over their powers to the ACNC, accentuating the onerous and duplicative regulatory environment for charities. At the same time, wide support for the abolition of the ACNC has come from major entities across Australia such as Universities Australia, the Association of Australian Medical Research Institutes, Catholic Health and the Independent Schools Council of Australia plus, countless local charities that I have spoken to in my community. This is a repeal that the not-for- profits and charities sector clearly want. Members opposite are shaking their heads, but I would encourage them to do what I have done and go out and talk to the local charities that face this unnecessary regulatory and compliance burden in the bills that we are seeking to repeal here today.

The government introduced the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (Repeal) (No 1) Bill on our March repeal day as part of a two-stage legislative process to terminate Labor's large and ungainly new super regulator for charities and not-for-profits. By abolishing the ACNC, we deliver on our commitment to reduce complexity for charities and not-for-profits, helping them to get on with the integral work they do. Contrary to what those on the other side of this chamber may put around, I can inform the House that the coalition has consulted extensively on this policy agenda with hundreds of sector stakeholders both before and after last year's federal election. We first declared in September 2012 our intention to abolish the ACNC. So Labor's claim that there has been inadequate time and room for discussion in this public arena is a blatant falsehood. The government has already delivered greater certainty to civil society with our reform to grant and contracting arrangements. Our provision for longer contracting periods has increased confidence for social service providers in their planning of leases, operational and staffing matters.

Let there be no mistake: the government values the dedicated service and contribution that civil society injects locally, nationally and internationally. It is important work. Through the mechanisms of civil society, communities develop identity and build resilience. As Australians, lending a helping hand to those in need is in our DNA. In Longman, I have launched a drive to boost my community's volunteer army at the click of a button with the 'Do Something Near You' portal on my website. 'Do Something Near You' is a breakthrough in online volunteering. It is the brainchild of the not-for-profit organisation Do Something, whose creators include Planet Ark founders Jon Dee and former tennis champion Pat Cash. In my electorate, this service enables volunteers to sign up for their local SES or rural fire service, donate blood to the Red Cross, assist the RSPCA, join their local Rotary or Lions Club, or help out with myriad other projects and organisations.

In Australia, our volunteering rates compare favourably with other nations, with more than a third of the adult population involved. But, obviously, that still leaves a lot of room for improvement. While most people will tell you they have thought about volunteering, busy lives often mean that they never quite get around to it. Research shows volunteers enjoy an increased sense of community belonging and often a lift in their physical and mental wellbeing. The economic impact of Australia's volunteer workforce is about $18 billion a year. All of this points to why the coalition government is determined to help, not hinder, civil society. Instead of making it easier for civil society, the ACNC has made it harder—increasing and duplicating regulatory burdens, which in the end discourage involvement in voluntary and community endeavour.

Under the current legislation—which I might add was rushed through this parliament by the former Labor government in cahoots with the Independents and Greens here in the House and the Greens in the Senate—the ACNC requires charities to produce more information for yet another agency of government, along with heightened reporting requirements. It is a fact that many Australians would not be aware that the ACNC has been given more power than the regulators of the corporate sector.

In place of the ACNC, the government will establish a new centre for excellence with ownership transitioning to the sector itself. The new centre will focus on education, innovation and training within the charities sector. It will advocate for and empower our charities and not-for-profits. In other words, the centre for excellence will be in the sector, of the sector and for the sector. This government is committed to providing real support to civil society via cutting red tape, simplifying reporting requirements and granting greater certainty through streamlined contracting arrangements. Rather than the heavy-handed, coercive regulatory approach of the ACNC, we believe in our charities and their honourable stated goals around improving the lives of their fellow citizens. These sterling people deserve our gratitude and they deserve our faith. I commend this bill to the House.

See this speech in context