NGO Red Tape Reduction report - Department of Premier & Cabinet (DPC)

Co-ordinating Minister for Human Services, 8 March 2010 

Co-ordinating Minister for Human Services Linda Burney released a report today outlining how the NSW Government will reduce the burden of red tape on non-government organisations (NGOs).

Ms Burney said that the recommendations contained in the NGO Red Tape Reduction report were developed by the Department of Premier and Cabinet in close consultation with NGOs, peak bodies and other government agencies.

“We are confident that the strategies contained in this report will make it easier for NGOs to focus on their core business – delivering services to people in need in the community,” she
said.

Alison Peters, Director at the Council of Social Services NSW (NCOSS), welcomed the recommendations.

“NGOs constantly tell us about their concern with the level of bureaucracy, red tape and compliance requirements when working with government. Any attempt to bring about greater consistency in government processes and make funding and reporting easier will be a huge improvement,” she said.
The Government will move immediately to implement the following initiatives by mid-year:

• the introduction of e-tendering and word limits
• standardising insurance requirements
• the development and application of standard questions across agencies for tenders on
  issues such as management and financial viability
• the reduction of information required from NGOs in the tendering process where
  information has already been collected by agencies.

Other reforms to follow include:

• standardising and simplifying contracts
• establishing more pre-registration panels with automatic eligibility for providers with a consistent record of performance and reliability, and
• establishing a risk framework for NGO funding that would relate tendering and EOI processes to risk.

Click here to download report.
 
Sources: Community Services & ADHC