Social Policy Campaign for Election 2010
22 July 2010 at 5:08 pm
Pro Bono Australia has begun a campaign to make social policy part of Federal Election and to urge our political leaders to listen to the Not for Profit sector in the lead up to election day.
There are few opportunities for the Not for Profit sector to send clear messages to political parties and their leaders. Elections are one of those times, when parties are in listening mode and potentially responsive to key constituencies.
The time is right to make social policy an election issue. But already it seems this will be an uphill battle. The contrast with the recent election in the United Kingdom is stark. In that campaign, social policy – in the form of the Conservative Party’s ‘Big Society’ policy, put social policy front and centre of the election.
As Pro Bono Australia co-publisher David James writes in his opinion piece "social policies will only get a run in the election campaign if they strike a chord with swinging voters in marginal electorates".
Accordingly, Pro Bono Australia, which is now seen as a major conduit in the sector for News and other significant resources, has decided to play our part in getting social policy higher on the election agenda, and we are seeking your help in this.
Firstly by taking part in our http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/NFPSurvey2010survey that will produce a Not for Profit Sector Manifesto.
Pro Bono Australia has formulated a short online survey for you to complete designed to capture the Not for Profit messages which we will present to the main political parties. We have used the recent Productivity Commission report on “The Contribution of the Not for Profit Sector’ to help frame these messages.
Pro Bono Australia founder Karen Mahlab says the Manifesto will be presented to the three major political parties in the last fortnight of the campaign, for their response.
Finally, after the Federal Poll is decided we will be debriefing the Election from a social policy perspective asking several sector leaders this question: How can the social sector secure a higher priority for its issues in future elections?
We have established an Election Watch page, where you will find all the News and views relating to social policy and the Election. We also invite you to contribute your opinion.
Also, please take a moment to indicate who you intend to vote for, in our Readers Poll.
