The Tanck Blog
Politics, policy, campaigns and advocacy.
We give you our latest insights on political trends, elections, lobbying and advocacy news, as well as tips and ideas for better government engagement and government relations.
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The 26-27 Federal Budget Quietly Confirms Australia’s Reliance on Civil Society
Every Federal Budget tells a story about what government believes matters, behind the headlines, capital gains, taxes, war and security something else is in this budget.
Four-Year Terms: Agreed, Obvious, and Still Not Done
There are very few policy reforms in Australia that have near-universal agreement and still go nowhere. Fixed four-year federal terms sit firmly in that category.
This is not a fringe idea. Every state and territory already operates on four-year cycles. Most comparable democracies do the same. At the federal level, we continue to run on three.
As Maddy Gray stated on The Pub Test (Podcast), presented by Tanck and Baker & York, the issue is not just the length of the term, but what that structure allows governments to do. Her experience across public service, political offices, and the private sector points to a consistent problem: the current system constrains delivery.
How to have fun at work - and it involves politicians
When you’re thinking of the fun things you can do at work, what springs to mind?
Chances are government engagement isn’t the first thing you thought of, but it can be fun, and it should be. The more you enjoy it, the more impact you will have - and that will have a flow on effect to your organisation.
When building a campaign, don’t preach to the choir
There’s no doubt that a diversity of views is good for democracy. Differing views, differing perspectives, and differing lived experiences can hold governments to account and ensure that they govern for everyone.
The Brief with Hundt Law
New ACNC Guidance for Charities in Corporate Groups and other ‘Complex Structures’
The Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) has recently released new guidance addressing governance for charities operating within corporate groups or other ‘complex structures’. While acknowledging legitimate reasons for such arrangements – like geographic spread, regulatory compliance, risk mitigation, and tax eligibility – the ACNC warns of governance challenges and risks of non-compliance.
The Brief with Hundt Law
From Purpose to Policy: Legal Insights on Charities Engaging in Advocacy
Earlier this month, the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) published the 11th edition of the Australian Charities Report (Report). The Report is based on aggregated data from the 2023 ACNC reporting period and, for data enthusiasts like me, offers a comprehensive snapshot of the state and composition of the sector in Australia.
Royal Commissions and NFPs
As we sit within the 16 days of global activism to end gender violence, it’s a good time to remember the power that NFPs hold to influence public discourse on an issue — and how you can effectively harness that via government engagement.
Remember the ‘alternate government’
Believe it or not, the best time to influence and change policy is when a party is in opposition – not when they are in government.
What next on government engagement?
As we say goodbye to Pro Bono News, we move into an interesting political landscape in Australia: with almost wall-to-wall Labor governments, it raises new and different challenges for our sector.