Not for Profit Organisations
Back to SpeechesThe Hon. MICK VEITCH [10.27 p.m.]: I draw the attention of the House to the ongoing and important role the not-for-profit sector undertakes in country New South Wales. In recent times I have been able to reflect upon the contribution of valuable not-for-profit organisations to many different causes. On Saturday 5 November I had the pleasure to attend the Adelong Junior Sports Foundation Ball held at the picturesque Adelong Showground. As an aside, I urge all members to take the time to visit Adelong. It is truly one of this State's gems. The Adelong Junior Sports Foundation provides financial assistance to junior sports stars who need to travel away for their chosen discipline. The township of Adelong has a population of roughly 900 people. What is remarkable about Saturday night's ball is that 580 people attended and 16 debutantes and their partners were presented to the official guests. What an outstanding achievement for a community of the size of Adelong. It is a great example of the level of community spirit and enthusiasm in country New South Wales.
On 7 October I attended the opening of the Tin Shed Theatre in Cootamundra. This is a fantastic creative arts and cultural centre that now has a world-class and properly sprung dance floor. The facility is very impressive and is a good example of the countless hours of voluntary labour, the tenacity and enthusiasm of a group of dedicated people and the reward of more than $300,000 in State Government funding. The facility will, without doubt, add to the cultural fabric of not only the Cootamundra community but also of the region as a whole, In particular, I commend Isobel and Leigh Scott for their commitment to seeing this project through to completion. I know that many others were involved along the way, and I extend my appreciation to all of the volunteers, tradies and business people who assisted in any way.
On 20 September I was able to attend the annual general meeting of the Cowra Neighbourhood Centre. I know that members are invited to attend, and indeed do attend, many annual general meetings. The Cowra Neighbourhood Centre was a standout for me. About 50 people attended the meeting. Most people avoid annual general meetings for fear of being given a job. There was a great deal of interest in each of the projects auspiced by the centre and I was particularly impressed by the strategic planning and corporate governance practices it has adopted. Maria Biglands, the manager, is clearly devoted to ensuring that the long-term viability and strategic direction of the centre is secured. I commend her for the role and leadership she is providing.
I have provided these examples of the work, contribution and role of not-for-profit organisations in country New South Wales. I am sure that members will agree that they are three very different examples—a junior sports foundation, a cultural centre and a human and community services provider. They are a reflection of the not-for-profit organisations in every country town in New South Wales. These organisations often undertake work that governments do not or cannot. They are supported by dedicated volunteers and the cost savings to government are substantial. I have spoken in this place previously about the need for governments to support the not-for-profit sector, not only in monetary terms. Issues such as timely payment of government contract funds, triennial contracts as opposed to annual contracts and even consumer price index adjustments and indexation are extremely important to any not-for-profit provider in this State. However, I caution members not to be deceived by any attempts to refer to the not-for-profit sector as the non-government sector because the non-government sector includes for-profit organisations and this is a serious threat to the valuable and often underrated work not-for-profit organisations provide to country New South Wales.