CCA CEO David Crosbie and Chair Tim Costello provided media commentary on issues throughout the year. David also contributed fortnightly articles to Pro Bono News and weekly articles to The Community Advocate intended to raise and share sector issues and promote thought leadership within and about our sector and its contribution.

Good news, puppies and the value of our work, Community Advocate, 12 December: Doing good work in the community is great, but it isn’t enough. The charity and not-for-profit sector needs to get better at sharing its stories of hope, compassion and connection.

‘Death taxes’ would breathe new life into charities, Community Advocate, 28 November: Despite the political risk, it may be time for Australia to bite the bullet and introduce an inheritance tax.

Is the starvation cycle here to stay? Community Advocate, 16 November: Cutting back on organisational infrastructure and capacity to ensure there is enough funding for programs to remain viable – a phenomenon known as the starvation cycle – is an unfortunate reality for most charities and not-for-profits.

More decoration or meaningful reform?, The Community Advocate, 8 November, David writes: We already know from all the research and consultations, all the inquiries and reports into government contracting of charities and community groups, that DSS could significantly improve the way it engages and contracts community service organisations, if it wanted to. The question CCA asked in our submission in response to the Issues Paper was, does DSS have any intention to change anything or implement any of the many existing recommendations about how it could engage and contract community organisations better? If not, this latest DSS consultation is yet another exercise in decorative government, another ride on the merry-go-round of consultations and reports, circling back to words everyone can agree to, no change, no action.

It’s time to call it out – Australia is not an egalitarian society, The Community Advocate, 1 November 2023.  David writes Australia is an amazing country, but we have a lot of work to do if our claims to be an egalitarian society are to be advanced beyond magical thinking

Charity data breach telemarketer hangs up the phone, Community Directors, 30 October 2023. David says: “It is not surprising that Pareto is no longer a viable business. The reality is that fundraising companies rely on integrity and reputation to be successfully involved in public fundraising. In many ways, trust itself is the most important commodity we rely on to generate donations, client support and engagement. Pareto clearly lost the trust of the public and the charities it relied on for its income.

Education and truth – the keys to change? The Community Advocate, 24 October 2023.  David writes: The overwhelming rejection of the Yes campaign to give Indigenous Australians a Voice to Parliament highlights some troubling gaps in the nation’s collective education and understanding of history.

Endless inquiries taking us for a ride, The Community Advocate, 17 October 2023. David writes, It’s time to stop the inaction merry-go-round of government consultations, inquiries and reports and get to work.

Aboriginal flags lowered as hopes for The Voice are silenced, Community Directors, 16 October 2023.  Includes commentary from David:  We join in mourning the lost opportunity to walk more closely together to a more just and fairer Australia…. The challenge for all charities and NFPs is to work harder to create the kind of Australia we want to live in.

Restoring trust is a must after divisive Voice debate, The Community Advocate, 11 October 2023. David writes: Charities and not-for-profits can play an important role in healing the fractures in society.

NFP sector in Canberra cyber security talks, Community Directors, 9 October 2023.  Coverage of CCA and sector advocacy and meetings with Government re cybersecurity.

Working for purpose deserves its own reward, The Community Advocate, 4 October 2023. David writes: We have eroded the conditions of charity and nfp workers over the last 20 years – time to implement a workforce strategy and invest in our staff. If we don’t – communities across Australia will pay a higher price for diminished services and support.

Mass charities data breach prompts warnings about outsourcing fundraising, Community Directors, 27 September 2023.  Includes coverage of CCA advocacy on support for charities in the Government’s cybersecurity response.

Charities at risk of being left defenceless in cyber-crime battle, The Community Advocate, 20 September 2023. David writes: The federal government appears to be taking the risk of cyber-crime seriously – just not when it comes to the concerns or vulnerability of the charities and not-for-profit sector.

Submissions open for community sector consultation, Community Directors, 19 September 2023.  David provides commentary on the DSS call for submissions to improve contracting: Ideally, such a review should draw on the outcome of previous reviews rather than “reinvent the wheel.” The key issue for the sector is not so much knowing where the problems are, or getting sets of words we can all agree to around the desired relationship between government departments and NFPs. The real challenge is achieving sustainable change in the way governments treat charities and NFPs.

Time to bridge the gap between climate concern and climate action, The Community Advocate, 14 September 2023. David writes: Charities and not-for-profits have been at the heart of community resilience for decades. Putting them at the centre of action to combat climate change should be no different.

Government moves to expand DGR eligibility, Community Directors, 14 September 2023. David provided commentary on DGR reform:  This is a positive step that expands DGR eligibility, but CCA believes there is still a long way to go to ensure equity and fairness in the way DGR is currently available to some charities but not others.

Reforms to government contracting? Once in a blue moon – but still not likely, The Community Advocate, 30 August 2023. David writes: Urgently needed reforms to government contracting have been buried in the too hard basket for too long. The time to act is now.

More charity donor leak details emerge as watchdog poised to launch probe, Community Directors, 30 August 2023. Includes coverage of CCA letter to the Prime Minister: Leaving charities to fend for themselves in dealing with the threat posed by global cyber-security attacks is not an acceptable policy approach.

The Australian Government is getting better at impact investing – just not at home, The Community Advocate, 22 August 2023. David writes: Stronger charities and not-for-profits able to better access the capital they need to improve their services makes sense but a lot more needs to be done.

Is ALP policy just decoration?, The Community Advocate, 15 August 2023. David writes: While the federal government is well disposed toward the charity and NFP sector, it’s time to start delivering on promises made before the last election.

We need a stronger public service. Here’s why, The Community Advocate, 9 August 2023. David explains why: A better Public Service is vital to improving the effectiveness of charities and NFPs.

Putting the public good in public policy, The Community Advocate, 2 August 2023. David writes: The story of government expenditure on consultancy firms is partly a story about the acceptance of superficial policy. It is also a story about government failure to recognise the immense value charities and community organisations can offer in developing authentic policies that result in real and sustainable public benefits. (Cross-posted by Croakey, Why the community and charitable sectors are vital partners in policy making).

Minister revamps charities regulator board, The Community Advocate, 31 July 2023, includes comments from David (re-appointed): “The sector has fought very hard to retain the ACNC.  Despite some undermining of its capacity under the previous government, the ACNC can and should play a critical role in strengthening our sector, partly by ensuring bad actors are not allowed to damage our brand, but more importantly, by informing and enabling charities to fulfill their purpose without undue or complicated regulatory requirements.”

From unity comes strength, The Community Advocate, 31 July 2023. David writes: It’s time not-for-profits stood united and refused to continue accepting scraps from the table of power.

Is it time for charities to mean business? The Community Advocate, 19 July 2023. David writes: Charities should not be the organisational child in the room, smiling graciously as the grown-up business and government sectors pat our heads and tells us what good boys and girls we are for helping.

Minister steps up moves to remove secrecy muzzle from ACNC, Our Community/Institute of Community Directors, 11 July2023.  Includes commentary from David who said there had been numerous recommendations to allow the ACNC to be more transparent about its activities: “Not knowing if the ACNC has followed up on complaints or is investigating a complaint has in some cases led to problems that might easily have been resolved if the ACNC could have provided a little bit more information about their activities. CCA supports these new measures which go some way to addressing concerns expressed by politicians and others who have made complaints and then not been able to even confirm if their complaints had been acted upon.”

Hosting COP31 could shift Australia and Pacific approach to addressing climate change, Canberra Times, 5 June 2023 Opinion piece with Dermot O’Gorman, WWF following the COP31 Collaboration Group meeting CCA co-convened at Parliament House in May:  It’s important that we get more Australians involved, more community-level input, about the impact climate change is having in our lives and to empower people to make a tangible difference… An Australian COP31 co-hosted with the Pacific can be a catalyst for communities, businesses, social groups, individuals and families to participate and to have conversations about climate action, leaving behind the mire of climate wars, and moving co-operatively into a new decade of opportunity… That’s what brought a group of like-minded leaders to Canberra this month with the objective of delivering a whole-of-society approach to COP31.

Not-for-profits hail federal budget as a good first step, 11 May, the Our Community and Institute of Community Directors Budget Bulletin (which CCA supported and promoted), includes a lead article from David: A ‘tentatively good’ budget for not-for-profits and charities and picks up Budget commentary from many CCA members.

Crying pharmacists obscure true reality of poverty in Australia, 3 May, Canberra Times, a Pre-Budget Opinion Piece on themes of fairness, the power of vested interests and the value of charities. I am hoping the Albanese government will increase support for the charities and NFPs who hold our communities together despite growing inequality.  Cutbacks to education, health, housing, employment, disability, emergency relief services, disaster preparedness, energy transition, and other critical areas invariably hurt the most economically vulnerable much more than the rich.  They make Australia less fair. And when it comes to what matters and what should be measured in the Federal budget, I think fairness is a very good starting point.

Be very wary of politicians such as Peter Dutton sounding the youth crime alarm, 20 April, Canberra Times, an Opinion Piece on public policy, including the need and value of supporting charities and local community social infrastructure. How effective the Voice can be, whether or not it can impact Indigenous youth crime, child abuse and other issues, is likely to depend on governments themselves. Will they be prepared to invest in the under-funded local organisations that are making a difference? The one thing we know for certain is that it is charities and community groups who will be left to pick up the pieces after the alarmist politicians and their media entourage leave town.

Losing our most important news platform, 23 March, Pro Bono News, David Crosbie reflects on the impact Pro Bono News has had over the past two decades. 

As long as it takes …, 8 March, Pro Bono News, What sort of delivery timelines are reasonable for an impact investment grant? And how do you know when to call time? 

Learning from the past to reform the NFP sector, 22 February, Pro Bono News:  David nominates is his three most important recommendations from a report that summarises all major recommendations from the key national inquiries into charities and NFPs over the past 30 years.  

Fundraising rules to be harmonised nationally, 16 February, Pro Bono News: with quotes from Tim and David: ‘Charities currently face a dog’s breakfast of outdated, dysfunctional regulation that is strangling charitable fundraising in Australia… The commitment to streamline fundraising regulation announced today…is long overdue. It is a reform that offers real benefits to charities and the communities they serve without in any way diminishing accountability.’

Too much love?, 8 February, Pro Bono News:  It is certainly a positive development that the new federal government wants to work with charities instead of against them, but it’s also putting pressure on an already stretched sector. 

Eyes turn to federal budget, 6 February, Pro Bono News: with coverage of CCA’s Budget Submission.

How your not-for-profit can successfully navigate 2023, Special Report from the Institute of Community Directors, includes commentary from David: ‘This year needs to be the one in which government, philanthropy, community and the sector itself realises the need and the urgency of investing in the capacity of charities and community groups… In 2023 we will need to invest more in ourselves and to promote our value boldly and unapologetically, both as individual community organisations and collectively for our sector.’

A more selfish charities sector, 17 January, Pro Bono News: David argues that the charities sector’s new year resolution should be being more selfish – in a good way.  

In 2023, CCA published well over 200 editions of Daily Diary – lighting up the inbox of CCA member CEOs and senior staff with an informal and fairly frank two-minute read intended to help keep you up to date on national context, CCA work and other news of interest to charity leaders – with an occasional smile.