The theme of this edition of The Record, ‘Renewal and Reflection’, is most apt, given the Society in Australia has just launched the 8th edition of The Rule. Renewing the Society’s core governance document required a long period of significant reflection and discernment.

The renewal of Part III of The Rule involved four years of consultation, reflection and discernment with Society Members, Councils and executive employees. The Rule Review Drafting Group championed this work throughout and is now assisting with amendments to The Procedures. The amendments were socialised across Councils, related legal entities and executive employees, and through online town hall sessions in the first half of 2026, so that Members were fully informed of revised and new Articles.

These local and international amendments remind us of the ongoing obligation on Councils to continually strive for renewal, so the Society always remains agile in responding to changing conditions.

In June this year, the General Assembly approved amendments to some Articles in Part II of The Rule. These revisions concern how the confederation governs itself, and have been incorporated into the 8th edition. Printed copies of the revised document have been forwarded to State and Territory Council offices. The online version is available at vinnies.link/the-rule.

Along these lines, I draw Members’ attention to the notice of the forthcoming election of the 19th President of National Council. The term of our current National President, Mark Gaetani, concludes in March 2027. The new practice of electing incoming presidents in a way that allows a timely transition and induction demonstrates the Society’s commitment to contemporary good governance. It also provides continuity for the Society’s Stewards, our Members and the many activities Councils are engaged in. Councils are now dealing with large and sometimes complex strategic matters, some with long-term implications.

One area of National Council’s core business is advocacy at the federal level. I am pleased to report on advocacy activities in recent months, some of which have involved partnering with other not-for-profit organisations at Parliament House.

We joined forces with The Salvation Army, UnitingCare Australia (Wesley Mission) and Anglicare Australia to call for stronger gambling reforms. This coalition met with Members of Parliament and Senators. Volunteers and employees who work at the coalface gave stark accounts of the harms caused by unfettered gambling practices that have been allowed to grow unchecked. While the revised Bill is not as strong as we would have liked, improvements include bans on inducements and wagering advertising during live sports coverage, as well as requirements for online services to prevent restricted users, including under-18s, from receiving advertising.

Representing the Society as a member of the Stronger Charities Alliance, our National Director, Policy and Research, Rose Beynon, and I met with Members of Parliament and Assistant Minister Andrew Leigh to call for legislation protecting the right of charities to advocate without fear of having government grants threatened. We are aware that governments in Queensland and the Northern Territory have begun to threaten not-for-profits when they speak out against social policy directions that threaten the wellbeing of people surviving tough circumstances.

Ahead of the 2022 Federal Election, the Labor Party committed to legislation safeguarding charities from reprisals when governments do not like to hear commentary on their policies or practices. That commitment was restated in the Not-for-profit Sector Development Blueprint (2024). The Stronger Charities Alliance, made up of more than 170 charities, is still waiting for the Albanese Government to introduce this legislation in Parliament. Our concern is growing that the commitment continues “to be kicked down the road”, given we are midway through the Government’s second term.

The Society attended the delivery of a petition containing 50,000+ signatures supporting calls for a federal Human Rights Act. We also attended the first joint event of the Parliamentary Friends of Housing and Parliamentary Friends of Mental Health, to discuss the plight of people who are homeless and living with mental ill-health.

Most recently, I wrote to all Parliamentarians on behalf of National Council, raising concerns about rumoured policy changes that would remove work rights for people seeking asylum. Policymakers must change the system, so it supports rather than harms people and does not shift the cost burden onto overstretched charities already struggling to provide the financial and social support people need to live a decent life in Australia.

National Council’s advocacy brings the voice of our Companions to the corridors of Parliament, where we have the opportunity to remind those who make our laws that we need to do better. Wherever we can, we are accompanied by one or more of our Members, who offer powerful first-hand reflections on the devastating effects of poverty on individuals, families, communities and our nation.

Together, we strive to renew local communities by working for a fairer, more just and compassionate Australia.