Journoz: Updates for Australian Journalists

Charities - the limits to action

Mark Lyons, a professor of social economy at the University of Technology, Sydney examines whether charities should be able to engage in political lobbying or not in a piece called "Charities: Conspiracy or confusion?" posted on Australian Policy Online. Lyons notes that the Treasurer, Peter Costello, spoke on the topic of ‘Building Social Capital’ in a speech to the Sydney Institute in mid-July. He 'spoke of the importance of trust to a market economy and of the role of "networks and associations" in building trust ... The remarks were the first public endorsement of social capital and the importance of nonprofit organisations by a senior government minister ... But, as several commentators observed, he made no attempt to review the practices of the government of which he is Treasurer against the sentiments he espoused – not surprisingly, as the government would be found sadly wanting. As the crisis that erupted later that month made clear, no one in the government has much knowledge about nonprofit organisations and the legal and policy regimes under which they labour.' The article is at http://www.apo.org.au/webboard/items/00463.shtml. Posted by belinda at October 8, 2003 11:07 AM

Email this entry to:


Your email address:


Message (optional):