Wide Bay Burnett Human Services Network

The Queensland Compact

The relationship between the sectors

The ‘community services sector’ consists predominantly of non-government, not-for-profit organisations that largely depend on government funding to deliver services to a variety of special interest populations. These services also have an advocacy role, lobbying government for resources or changes in public policy to address community need and social injustice. Hence the relationship between the sectors is two fold – both operational and political.

The Queensland Compact
In November 2007, the Queensland Government agreed to negotiate a Compact with the Community Services Sector in Queensland. (To read more about how the Compact was developed, Download the background to the Compact.)

The Compact commits all Queensland Government agencies and all sector organisations to a set of principles and commitments to work together in a respective, productive forward-looking relationship that benefits the community.

The vision of the Queensland Compact is:

The Queensland Government and Non-profit Community Services Sector working together for a better quality of life and a fair community for all Queenslanders now and in the future.

The Goals of the Queensland Compact are:

1. Build strong working relationships

2. Improve engagement in planning and policy

3. Improve sector’s capacity and sustainability

4. Continue to improve service quality and innovation

Download the Queensland Compact Download Action Plan

(Source: QCOSS Compact page)

State level

Regional level
Department of Communities and Non Government Organisations Regional Meeting
The November 2009 meeting provided information and an opportunity for the Community Capacity and Service Quality (CCSQ) team and funded services to discuss the Queensland Compact and how to progress implementing it in future working relationships.

This led to the formation of a small working group and the Queensland Compact becoming a standing agenda item at future Regional NGO Meetings, where the Compact Governance Committee Action Plan strategies can be progressed.

Combined Sector Meeting – January 2010
Representatives from the Queensland Government and Community Sector organisations met in Maryborough in January 2010 to discuss how to progress implementing the Queensland Compact across the Wide Bay Burnett region. Participants considered key related activities already happening in the region, what else needs to be done-including identifying a number of gaps and challenges and proposing some recommendations.

These recommendations will be further discussed with a view to progress at future Wide Bay Burnett Human Services Working Group meetings.

Agency level
For the Queensland Compact to become a reality, it must become part of our language, our culture and our day-to-day work. So each organisation – government and non-government, needs to consider how to implement the Compact into their daily practice.

For ideas on where to start download How to implement the Queensland Compact.

More Information
There are a range of tools and information about the Queensland Compact available on the Department of Communities or QCOSS websites.

Implementing the Compact

The Compact Governance Committee comprises five representatives from the Non-profit Community Services sector, five from Government and an independent chair. Sector representatives were nominated by the Community Services Futures Forum. The Committee developed and oversees an Action Plan that gives effect to the commitments within the Compact and creates practical change. Compact Governance Committee communiqués give regular updates on the progress made by the Governance Committee.