Progress Report on the Queensland Compact

The inaugural Queensland Compact Annual Report from the Queensland Governance Committee has been released outlining progress made in its first year of implementation.

The Queensland Compact is a policy initiative for the Queensland Government and the Non-profit Community Services Sector, currently being led by the Department of Communities.

The Compact supports a fairer and stronger Queensland and sets out a commitment for the government and sector to work together respectfully, productively, and in a forward-thinking way that benefits the Queensland community.

The Governance Committee says there have already been a number of achievements, which link to the administrative and policy reforms within the framework of the Compact.

Some of these include:

• the public release of the Communities Statistical Information System (COMSIS) to support evidence-based decision making by sector organisations
• projects being undertaken to reduce red tape and administrative burdens to organisations including the streamlining of quality standards and compliance processes, reducing the duplication and increasing consistency of criminal history screening, and projects relating to consistent financial reporting arrangements
• building stronger working relationships between government and the sector by hosting forums across the state which enabled regional participation in Compact Governance Committee (CGC) work and ensured decisions were made collectively.

The Annual Report also details 22 CGC priorities for 2010, which include:

• helping to strengthen the human service workforce and increase volunteering
• active engagement of a broader range of stakeholders to expand the benefits of the Compact and to increase regional implementation, and
• commencing a process of independent review.

Compact Governance Committee Independent Chair, Carolyn Mason says this report is a significant milestone in the history of government and the Not for Profit Community Services Sector relationships in Queensland to be reporting against a shared Action Plan that implements a whole-of-government, whole-of-sector policy.

Mason says an immediate opportunity for government and community sector agency representatives to be involved in Compact activities is by contributing to the online consultation regarding a ‘Good Practice’ Guide for Data and Information Sharing (closing 9 May 2010).

The guide aims to support improved data and information sharing between the Queensland Government and the Non-profit Community Services Sector.

Information about the guide can be found at www.communities.qld.gov.au