Media Release by The Hon Julie Collins MP

Measuring the contribution of the not-for-profit sector

Joint Media Release with:

  • The Hon Mark Butler MP, Minister for Mental Health and Ageing, Minister for Social Inclusion, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on Mental Health Reform

The Minister for Social Inclusion, Mark Butler and the Minister for Community Services, Julie Collins, have today announced that the Australian Bureau of Statistics will produce a Non-Profit Institutions Satellite Account for the 2012-13 financial year.

The Gillard Government has invested $1.7 million in the new Satellite Account to provide an updated picture of the size, value, composition and economic importance of the not-for-profit (NFP) sector, and contribute to the development of community related policies.

“The Government is undertaking the most significant reform agenda for the NFP sector in Australia’s history and the Satellite Account will support this process,” Mr Butler said.

“On the best presently available data, we understand that the sector consists of around 600,000 organisations, with nearly 60,000 of these considered economically significant.

“This new ABS-led work will give us updated and reliable data about just how significant this sector really is.

“These organisations have an increasingly important role in working with government to deliver services including social welfare, education, employment, housing, health, aged care, disability care, migrant settlement, arts, sports, the environment and emergency services.”

Ms Collins said the latest figures currently available date back to 2006-07.

“It’s important we have the latest information so we can work with our partners in the sector to deliver the best services possible for Australians most in need,” Ms Collins said.

“The new Satellite Account will be able to detail the contribution of the not-for-profit sector in Australia’s current economy.

“The existing figures already show the sector makes a significant contribution to Australia in both social and economic terms.

“For example, economically significant organisations in the sector account for more than eight per cent of total employment and up to five per cent of GDP including the value of volunteers.”

This announcement follows today’s meeting between Minister Butler, Finance Minister, Penny Wong and the Not-For-Profit Reform Council on red tape reduction and the Government’s broader progress on NFP reform.

The Government’s not-for-profit reform agenda is underpinned by the National Compact: working together, which provides a framework for building a better relationship between the Australian Government and the NFP sector.