PilchConnect is a new dynamic on-line legal resource for non profit organisations that will make navigating their complex regulatory arrangements much easier, the Parliamentary Secretary for Social Inclusion and the Voluntary Sector, Senator Ursula Stephens, said at the PilchConnect launch on Wednesday night.
PilchConnect is a free and low-cost legal service that provides legal information, training, advice and legal referrals for Victorian community organisations. The PilchConnect website provides a comprehensive suite of information and presents it in an easy to understand way that works through the 'life-cycle' of a community organisation.
“I congratulate Sue Woodward and the team at the Public Interest Law Clearing House (PILCH) for their tireless efforts in making PilchConnect a reality. Their work represents an enormous contribution to knowledge sharing in the sector,” Senator Stephens said.
Following the launch, Senator Stephens participated in a panel discussion with Professor Myles McGregor-Lowndes from Queensland University of Technology and Adele Ferguson from The Australian on the regulatory system surrounding non profit organisations in Australia.
Senator Stephens agreed with panel members that the current complexity of the system needs to be addressed and said the government is keenly awaiting the report from the Senate Economics Committee’s inquiry into regulation of the sector.
“In the meantime, there are many things we are doing to reduce red tape and increase transparency. We are working with the states and territories to harmonise regulation and, closer to home, we are implementing new arrangements to minimise unnecessary red tape for all Commonwealth grant recipients,” Dr Stephens said.
Senator Stephens was also asked about the future of the Rudd Government’s Social Inclusion Agenda in the context of the uncertain financial environment.
“As things get tougher, we will focus more and more on the Social Inclusion Agenda. It is when we face hard times that we need to be even more vigilant that people don’t fall between the cracks,” Senator Stephens said.