Australian and New Zealand Third Sector Research (ANZTSR) and the Sydney Policy Lab are proud to collaborate in bringing you this webinar series on how we can maximise the impact of advocacy.

Our second lunch time webinar on Thursday 7 October, 12:30pm will be focused on disability advocacy and the NDIS. Join us to explore the forces shaping the NDIS, where we’re at now and what still needs to be done to properly provide for people with disability.

Hear from leading academics, practitioners and thought leaders in the second of two lunchtime webinars, featuring Kirstin Deane OAM, General Manager,  Melbourne Disability Institute, University of Melbourne. Kirstin is a strategic and dedicated leader, she has been a powerful advocate through Every Australian Counts, the grassroots campaign fought successfully for the introduction of the NDIS.

Register your place now: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/the-ndis-how-did-we-get-here-and-where-to-from-here-lunchtime-webinar-tickets-170765402917

26 May 2021

PRESS RELEASE

GOVERNMENT ONCE AGAIN ATTEMPTS TO MUZZLE CHARITIES

The current government is once again proposing legislation aimed at silencing civil society from advocating. Under the latest legislative proposal, Australia’s 59,000 charities could be held responsible for minor legal breaches committed by members or supporters. This could lead to them losing their charitable status and their preferential tax treatment.
Elizabeth Cham, Chair, ANZTSR* and former CEO of Philanthropy Australia, said Australian scholars whose research focus is the charity and not-for-profit sector, are alarmed at the latest attempt by the Liberal Government to muzzle the sector.
Dr Cham asked, how can charities, such as Uniting Care, who employ 36,000 people and 24,000 volunteers and have more service delivery outlets in Australia than McDonalds, know what their staff and supporters are passionately engaged in during the wekend.
Dr Cham said the High Court of Australia in the Aid Watch v Commissioner of Taxation (2010), claimed charities contribution enrich public debate and contribute to good policy making by governments.
She further stated that the right to advocate by Australian charities is a crucial element of a thriving democracy.

Dr Elizabeth Cham (0406 450 725)
Chair, ANZTSR & Associate Fellow, Business School, University of Technology Sydney (UTS)

*(The Australia and New Zealand Third Sector Research Association (ANZTSR) is a regional network of scholars and practitioners whose research focus is the charity and not-for-profit sector).

 

Australian government crackdown on charities will stifle political advocacy, experts say in this article published in The Guardian.

 

Civil society: how do we maximise the impact of advocacy?

A lunchtime webinar co-hosted by ANZTSR + Sydney Policy Lab

Tuesday 31 August 2021, 12:30pm-1:30pm

Speaker Brief

WEBINAR OVERVIEW AND PURPOSE
Thank you for agreeing to speak in this series of webinars on Advocacy, co-hosted by ANZTSR and Sydney Policy Lab.
The purpose of these webinars are to provide a space of reflection and sharing of lessons learnt in Advocacy, particularly as it relates to strengthening and empowering civil society for ANZTSR
members, and the wider research and public policy community interested in Advocacy.

WEBINAR STRUCTURE
The Session will consist of a total of 20-30 min presentations from panellists (approx. 5 min each), including a welcome from ANZTSR Chair, a Sydney Policy Lab presentation on the Strengthening Civil Society research, and 2-3 guest speakers.

This will be followed by 30 mins of questions and discussion, facilitated via Zoom chat. Webinars will be recorded, if panel members consent, and be made available to the ANZTSR and SPL
community for those unable to attend.

TOPIC AND SPEAKERS
Civil Society: how do we maximise the impact of advocacy?

COVID-19 has thrown a spotlight on Civil Society’s capacity to advocate for change and address disadvantage. Join us to explore what’s stopping Civil Society from advocating effectively and identify key ingredients for success. Hear from leading academics and thought leaders in the first of two lunchtime Advocacy webinars, featuring:

  • Welcome and introductions: Ruth Phillips, Member of ANZTSR Executive Committee and Sydney Uni Associate Professor in Social Work and Policy Studies.
  • Chair: Marc Stears, Sydney Uni Professor and Director of the Sydney Policy Lab at Sydney University, which has been exploring advocacy as part its Strengthening
  • Australian Civil Society project. Former Professor of Political Theory at Oxford, Chief Executive of the UK New Economics Foundation and Chief Speechwriter to UK Labour
    Party.
  • Panellists:
    Prof Larissa Behrendt, Director of Research at the Jumbunna Indigenous House of Learning at the University of Technology Sydney Thomas Mayor, a Zenadth Kes man, National Indigenous Officer and Honorary Deputy NT Branch Secretary at MUA, President of the NT Trades & Labour Council and elected participant in the Uluru Convention).
    Dr Richard Denniss, Chief Economist, author and public policy commentator from The Australia Institute, and former Associate Professor in Public Policy at ANU.

QUESTIONS & CONTACT
For any questions, please contact event manager Leah Emmanuel, Community Partnerships & Training Manager at Sydney Policy Lab on 0401 230 094 or at leah.emmanuel@sydney.edu.au