This report, called "Changing Roles of Community-Sector Peak Bodies in a Neo-liberal Policy Environment in Australia" focuses on the organisational demography of community sector peak bodies and some of the challenges to their roles in policy making, democratic citizenship and representation.

Its chief investigator is Dr. Rose Melville and the senior researcher is Roberta Perkins.

A major theme to emerge in the study is the systematic delegitimisation of peaks as ‘representative’ bodies for sections of the community sector and their participation in policy-making processes.

The study provides evidence of problematic and contentious relationships between peaks, government ministers and public servants in various jurisdictions.

One conclusion is that the political and economic security of peaks as advocacy bodies is very precarious and they no longer enjoy the legitimacy they once had in the Australian policy system.

The report concludes that this situation must be redressed to ensure that the voices of marginalised and low-income people are incorporated into policies which have a critical impact on their day-to-day lives, living standards, and social, cultural and political rights.

Published by the Institute of Social Change and Critical Inquiry, at the University of Wollongong, the study was funded by an Australian Research Council Discovery grant.

 

Permission has been received to publish the report on this website.