Financial Framework (Supplementary Powers) Amendment (Social Services Measures No. 1) Regulations 2026

Administered by Department of Finance

Legislation au F2026L00568 Regulations In force Legislative Instrument

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EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

 

Issued by the Authority of the Minister for Finance

 

Financial Framework (Supplementary Powers) Act 1997

 

Financial Framework (Supplementary Powers) Amendment

(Social Services Measures No. 1) Regulations 2026

 

The Financial Framework (Supplementary Powers) Act 1997 (the FFSP Act) confers on the Commonwealth, in certain circumstances, powers to make arrangements under which money can be spent; or to make grants of financial assistance; and to form, or otherwise be involved in, companies. The arrangements, grants, programs and companies (or classes of arrangements or grants in relation to which the powers are conferred) are specified in the Financial Framework (Supplementary Powers) Regulations 1997 (the Principal Regulations). The powers in the FFSP Act to make, vary or administer arrangements or grants may be exercised on behalf of the Commonwealth by Ministers and the accountable authorities of non‑corporate Commonwealth entities, as defined under section 12 of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013.

 

The Principal Regulations are exempt from sunsetting under section 12 of the Legislation (Exemptions and Other Matters) Regulation 2015 (item 28A). If the Principal Regulations were subject to the sunsetting regime under the Legislation Act 2003, this would generate uncertainty about the continuing operation of existing contracts and funding agreements between the Commonwealth and third parties (particularly those extending beyond 10 years), as well as the Commonwealth’s legislative authority to continue making, varying or administering arrangements, grants and programs.

 

Additionally, the Principal Regulations authorise a number of activities that form part of intergovernmental schemes. It would not be appropriate for the Commonwealth to unilaterally sunset an instrument that provides authority for Commonwealth funding for activities that are underpinned by an intergovernmental arrangement. To ensure that the Principal Regulations continue to reflect government priorities and remain up to date, the Principal Regulations are subject to periodic review to identify and repeal items that are redundant or no longer required.

 

Section 32B of the FFSP Act authorises the Commonwealth to make, vary and administer arrangements and grants specified in the Principal Regulations. Section 32B also authorises the Commonwealth to make, vary and administer arrangements for the purposes of programs specified in the Principal Regulations. Section 32D of the FFSP Act confers powers of delegation on Ministers and the accountable authorities of non-corporate Commonwealth entities, including subsection 32B(1) of the FFSP Act. Schedule 1AA and Schedule 1AB to the Principal Regulations specify the arrangements, grants and programs.

 

Section 65 of the FFSP Act provides that the Governor-General may make regulations prescribing matters required or permitted by the FFSP Act to be prescribed, or necessary or convenient to be prescribed for carrying out or giving effect to the FFSP Act.

 


The Financial Framework (Supplementary Powers) Amendment (Social Services Measures No. 1) Regulations 2026 (the Regulations) amend table item 697 in Part 4 of Schedule 1AB to the Principal Regulations to establish legislative authority for government spending on the Volunteer Grants Program (the program). The program is administered by the Department of Social Services.

 

The program has operated in various forms since its establishment in 2001. The program recognises the valuable work of Australia's volunteers and aims to boost volunteer participation, reduce or remove barriers to volunteering, and provide targeted funding of between $1,000 and $5,000 to not-for-profit community organisations to support volunteers.

 

The program was modified in 2024 to include insurance and internet service fees as eligible items to meet the needs of not-for-profit community organisations that rely on volunteers, and to introduce children (under 18) as a priority cohort. The eligibility criteria are further expanded in 2026 to improve support and inclusivity for volunteers.

 

Existing funding of $10.0 million per year over three years from 2026-27 for the expanded program will improve access to the types of items that community organisations can purchase to support their volunteers and volunteer-run activities.

 

Details of the Regulations are set out at Attachment A. A Statement of Compatibility with Human Rights is at Attachment B.

 

The Regulations are a legislative instrument for the purposes of the Legislation Act 2003.

 

The Regulations commence on the day after registration on the Federal Register of Legislation.

 

Consultation

 

In accordance with section 17 of the Legislation Act 2003, consultation has taken place with the Department of Social Services.

 

Attachment A

 

Details of the Financial Framework (Supplementary Powers) Amendment

(Social Services Measures No. 1) Regulations 2026

 

Section 1 – Name

 

This section provides that the title of the Regulations is the Financial Framework (Supplementary Powers) Amendment (Social Services Measures No. 1) Regulations 2026.

 

Section 2 – Commencement

 

This section provides that the Regulations commence on the day after registration on the Federal Register of Legislation.

 

Section 3 – Authority

 

This section provides that the Regulations are made under the Financial Framework (Supplementary Powers) Act 1997.

 

Section 4 – Schedules

 

This section provides that the Financial Framework (Supplementary Powers) Regulations 1997 (the Principal Regulations) are amended as set out in the Schedule to the Regulations.

 

Schedule 1 – Amendments

 

Financial Framework (Supplementary Powers) Regulations 1997

 

The item in Schedule 1 amends Schedule 1AB to the Principal Regulations to establish legislative authority for government spending on an activity administered by the Department of Social Services (the department).

 

Amended table item 697 – Volunteer Grants Program

 

Item 1 – Part 4 of Schedule 1AB (table item 697)

 

This item amends table item 697 by repealing and substituting the full item. Table item 697 in Part 4 of Schedule 1AB establishes legislative authority for government spending on the Volunteer Grants Program (the program).

 

The program was established in 2001 under the 2000-01 Budget measure ‘Stronger Families and Communities Strategy – National Skills Development Programme for volunteers and the International Year of the Volunteer’ with funding of $15.8 million for a period of four years.

The program has operated in various forms since that time and recognises the valuable work of Australia's volunteers.

 


The program was modified in 2024 to include insurance and internet service fees as eligible items to meet the needs of not-for-profit (NFP) community organisations that rely on volunteers, and to introduce children (under 18) as a priority cohort amongst other changes. The program’s eligibility criteria will be expanded in 2026 to allow more volunteers to benefit.

 

The objectives of the program are to help NFP community organisations to support the efforts of Australia’s volunteers and encourage, support and increase participation in volunteering. The overarching objective of the expanded program will remain unchanged. The program will continue to support volunteers through the already established program criteria, in their volunteering role, by:

  • continuing to enable organisations to utilise funds to cover the costs of insurance, internet usage, and phone bills for community organisations, in recognition that this can reduce the administrative burden associated with volunteering; and
  • continuing to focus on volunteers and activities that support children’s wellbeing and development.

 

The beneficiaries of the expanded program include: 

  • any volunteers in a community organisation where the grant is used to purchase insurance items or communication products including phones, as well as computers, laptops and tablets, where those items are primarily used for communications and online activity;
  • volunteers who are members of an eligible cohort identified as facing systemic barriers to participation in volunteering, who will be assisted to remove or reduce barriers to volunteering through the purchase of small equipment and/or covering costs associated with training, events, background screening, and travel; and
  • community organisations delivering volunteer-run activities for an eligible cohort or activity through the purchase of small equipment and/or covering costs associated with training, events, background screening, and travel. Volunteer-run activities are activities undertaken by volunteers within community organisations.

 

Funding of $10.0 million per year over four years from 2025-26 for the expanded program will improve access to the types of items that community organisations can purchase to support their volunteers and volunteer-run activities. Grants of between $1,000 and $5,000 will be available to community organisations and funding will be equally distributed across Federal electorates. Community organisations will be able to apply for funding under one or more of the items in the following two categories:

 

Category one

 

Under this category, communication items and insurance for the benefit of any volunteers (with no cohort restriction) may be purchased including:

  • mobile phones, phone bills and radio communication devices;
  • computers, laptops and tablets, where those items are primarily used for online communication and activity;
  • software packages, where the software is primarily used to facilitate online communication and activity (for example email or videoconferencing software);
  • electronic audio and visual equipment, where the equipment is primarily used for, or to facilitate, online communications and activity (for example, video-communication equipment);
  • electronic payment devices where the device is primarily used for, or to facilitate, online communication and activity; and
  • internet service fees and insurance premiums incurred by the community organisation.

 

Category two

 

Under this category, grant funding may be used for the following eligible grant activities including:

  • (A) Purchase items for the main purpose of supporting a community organisation’s volunteers from the following cohorts:
    • adults whose volunteering activities support children’s development and wellbeing and children (under 18) as a means of supporting their development;
    • First Nations People;
    • newly arrived migrants (within the last 5 years) who are not citizens;
    • people with disability (within the meaning of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD));
    • unemployed people who are volunteering to increase their capacity to engage in employment;
    • veterans and Australian Defence Force (ADF) members; and
    • women experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, gender-based violence or isolation to assist them to overcome that gender-based violence or isolation.

 

  • (B) Fund volunteer-run activities within the community organisation for the main purpose of supporting:
    • children’s (under 18) development and wellbeing and/or parents/carers to develop the skills necessary to ensure a child’s development;
    • First Nations People;
    • newly arrived migrants (within the last 5 years) who are not citizens;
    • people with disability (within the meaning of the CRPD) to participate in any aspect of life;
    • people who are unemployed to increase their capacity to engage in employment (e.g. through training or access to existing employment services);
    • veterans or ADF members;
    • women experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, gender-based violence or isolation;
    • women experiencing gender-based discrimination or disadvantage by addressing gender-based disadvantage in sport, in rural and remote areas and in the form of food insecurity, gender-based discrimination in emergency services roles, and gender-based disadvantages and discrimination in trades;
    • eliminating racial discrimination and promoting understanding, tolerance and friendship amongst racial or ethnic groups through the following:
      • activities that provide anti racism training and promote cultural safety,
      • multicultural art events and other cultural events such as traditional dance and theatre,
      • language classes designed to encourage social cohesion and promote interracial harmony,
      • programs that connect international students with local volunteering opportunities,
      •  multicultural sporting events that promote the participation of teams and players from diverse backgrounds, and
      • community events that celebrate Harmony Week and/or International Day for the Elimination of Racial discrimination.

 

The eligibility criteria for Category two have been expanded to focus on a broader range of cohorts that may experience additional barriers to volunteering and volunteer-run activities supporting these cohorts. Common barriers include out-of-pocket costs, accessibility and culturally appropriate volunteering opportunities. Volunteer-run activities may support people from the identified cohorts, promote interracial harmony and/or support women experiencing gender‑based discrimination and disadvantage.

 

Any eligible community organisation nominated by a Federal Member of Parliament (MP) can apply for a grant under Category one – communication and insurance – to purchase items that will benefit any of its volunteers. The range of items that may be purchased to support volunteers and volunteer-run activities in Category two is broader than Category one. Since 2019, Federal MPs have been involved in identifying eligible community organisations that could be invited to apply for each Volunteer Grants round through an expression of interest (EOI) process. MPs, with the support of a community committee (comprising three or more members of the community), nominate community organisations for funding up to the electorate cap.

 

The program aligns with the National Strategy for Volunteering 2023‑2033 (National Strategy), jointly developed by the department and Volunteering Australia, with a focus on enhancing the volunteer experience and recognising its value. Research to inform the development of the National Strategy has shown a substantial decline in volunteering from 36.0 per cent in 2019 to 26.7 per cent in 2022, with COVID-19 contributing significantly to this decline. The National Strategy highlights a multitude of factors threatening the sustainability of volunteering in Australia. Some of these factors include declining numbers of formal volunteers, barriers to participating in volunteering and reliance on volunteers to deliver essential services.

 

The program also aligns with the following national strategies and frameworks:

  • Early Years Strategy 2024−2034 (www.dss.gov.au/early-years-strategy/resource
    /early-years-strategy-2024-2034);
  • National Framework on Protecting Australia’s Children 2021−2031 (www.dss.gov.au/child-protection/resource/national-framework-protecting-australias-children-2021-2031);
  • National Agreement on Closing the Gap (the National Agreement) (www.closingthegap.gov.au/national-agreement), including strong economic participation and development of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their communities (Outcome 8) and high levels of social and emotional wellbeing (Outcome 14);
  • National Settlement Framework to improve migrants’ and new arrivals’ settlement experience and their economic, social and cultural integration and engagement in Australian society;
  • Australia’s National Disability Strategy 2021-2031 (www.ndis.gov.au/understanding/
    australias-disability-strategy-2021-2031);
  • Defence and Veteran Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2025-2030 (www.defence.gov.au/about/strategic-planning/defence-veteran-mental-health-wellbeing-strategy-2025-2030); and
  • National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022-2032 (www.dss.gov.au/national-plan-end-violence-against-women-and-children).

 

Volunteering plays a vital role in improving the health and wellbeing of people across Australia. It promotes individual wellbeing by offering a sense of purpose and opportunities for social connection, supporting physical and mental health, and strengthening an individual’s connection to place. It strengthens the Australian community by increasing community participation, fostering a sense of belonging, and reducing loneliness and social isolation. Volunteering also contributes to progress on national priorities, such as tackling mental health challenges and responding to crises including national disasters and health emergencies. It enables volunteers to act on their values, passions and interests, make new friendships, create professional networks, and enhance their physical and mental health and overall wellbeing. 

 

The key mechanisms linking volunteering to better mental health are social interaction and a sense of purpose. These factors support a positive emotional state, reduce stress, and create meaningful social roles – all of which are associated with lower psychological distress. Access to volunteering opportunities is not equal. Social, economic and cultural barriers can hinder or discourage people’s ability to volunteer. These barriers may include out-of-pocket costs, accessibility constraints, and a lack of culturally appropriate volunteering opportunities.

 

Barriers to volunteering are widespread and can vary among different cohorts. Common barriers may include:

  • insurance arrangements (for example, policies that do not cover volunteers under 18, or the cost/time required to source suitable cover);
  • supervision and age-appropriate tasking requirements (including for volunteers under 18);
  • background checks and screening requirements (including cost, time, and the ability to obtain checks due to lack of identification documents);
  • out-of-pocket costs (including transport costs);
  • transport availability;
  • language barriers;
  • socioeconomic barriers;
  • fear of judgement or discrimination, and concerns about cultural safety;
  • accessibility barriers (including physical accessibility and conscious or unconscious bias);
  • safety concerns; and
  • mental health challenges and social isolation (including reduced support networks).

 

Community organisations often face a tension between the desire to be inclusive, and the resources required to do so, however volunteering can be a fertile environment for fostering inclusion. Community organisations are often adaptable and able to respond to emerging community needs in agile ways, and they are uniquely skilled at creating inclusive environments for both volunteers and service users.

 


Funding amount and arrangements, merits review and consultation

 

Existing funding of $10.0 million per year over three years from 2026-27 for the item will come from Program 2.1.6: Volunteering and Community Connectedness, which is part of Outcome 2. Details are set out in the Portfolio Additional Estimates Statements 2025-26, Social Services Portfolio on page 49.

 

Under the program, the department will deliver a closed, non-competitive grant process in two stages.

  • Stage 1: MPs will conduct an EOI process within their electorate, leveraging their local knowledge to identify and engage with NFP community organisations that rely on volunteers. MPs will then use a community committee, consisting of local community members, to assess EOIs and nominate eligible community organisations for funding up to the specified electorate cap.
  • Stage 2: Nominated organisations will be invited to apply to the department for a grant. The department will assess the grant application against the eligibility criteria in the grant opportunity guidelines to determine if the nominated organisation is eligible for funding. 

 

The grant will be administered in accordance with the Commonwealth resource management framework, including the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 (PGPA Act), the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Rule 2014 and the Commonwealth Grants Rules and Principles 2025 (CGRPs).

 

The department will oversee the administration of the selection process. An assessment team within the department will determine whether organisations are eligible under the grant opportunity guidelines and will make recommendations to the branch manager (Senior Executive Service (SES) Band 1 level). The branch manager will make recommendations to the delegate who will make the final funding decisions. A delegate of the Secretary of the department under the Financial Framework (Supplementary Powers) Act 1997 (FFSP Act), will be responsible for approving Commonwealth funding provided to eligible organisations. The delegate will be at SES Band 3 level and have relevant knowledge and experience in exercising this function.

 

Compliance with the CGRPs will be demonstrated through governance arrangements that ensure decisions are transparent, accountable, and consistent with the principles of achieving value with relevant money. This includes maintaining documented approvals, applying proportionate risk management across the program lifecycle, and ensuring all processes align with published grant opportunity guidelines.

 

In addition, sufficient safeguards and limitations are in place within the Secretary’s delegations to departmental staff under the FFSP Act. This includes financial limits on delegations based on staff position levels and directions ensuring that delegates will not exercise a power where doing so would commit funds exceeding the available funding for the relevant program.

 

In exercising delegation powers, officials within the department will also comply with the department’s Risk Management Framework. Further controls operate within the Community Grants Hub, which is a division of the department, that will ensure the appropriate administration of grants.

 

The department will administer the expanded program, including by performing assurance activities on unincorporated applicants and acquitting a minimum of a 10 per cent randomly selected sample of all grants within a five-year period to ensure funding is spent in accordance with the grant opportunity guidelines. Grant opportunity guidelines and information about the grant will be published on the GrantConnect website (www.grants.gov.au). The grants will be administered by the Community Grants Hub.

 

The department will continue to draw on data from applications and electorate offices, acquittal reports, and an annual survey of grant recipients to assess the program’s impact and to determine areas of improvements in designing future grant opportunities. 

 

Funding decisions relating to grant opportunities are not considered appropriate for merits review. This is because these decisions relate to the provision of a one-off grant to certain organisations over other organisations. The Administrative Review Council has recognised that it is justifiable to exclude merits review for decisions of this nature (see paragraphs 4.16 to 4.19 of the guide, What decisions should be subject to merit review?). 

 

The review and audit process undertaken by the Australian National Audit Office provides a mechanism to examine government spending decisions and report any concerns to the Parliament. These requirements and mechanisms help to ensure the proper use of Commonwealth resources and appropriate transparency in decisions relating to making, varying or administering arrangements to spend relevant money. 

 

Further, the right to review under section 75(v) of the Constitution and review under section 39B of the Judiciary Act 1903 may be available. Persons affected by spending decisions may also have recourse to the Commonwealth Ombudsman, where appropriate.

 

Consultation on the changes to the expanded program was undertaken with the Department of Home Affairs, the Attorney General’s Department, the Department of Finance, and the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Feedback from these consultations included identifying cohorts that should be included and establishing eligibility pathways for funding, which has been incorporated into the program’s design and the development of the grant opportunity guidelines.

 

As part of the program expansion process, the department will engage with MPs to outline the changes to the program and its eligibility requirements. Public consultation was not deemed appropriate, as the changes to the program align with already established government priorities and do not alter the overall objectives of the program, which has been operating in various forms since 2000-01.

 

Constitutional considerations

 

Noting that it is not a comprehensive statement of relevant constitutional considerations, the objective of the item references the following powers of the Constitution:

  • the communications power (section 51(v));
  • the defence power (section 51(vi));
  • the insurance power (section 51(xiv));
  • the aliens power (section 51 (xix));
  • the race power (section 51(xxvi));
  • the immigration power (section 51 (xxvii); and
  • the external affairs power (section 51(xxix)).

 

Communications power

 

Section 51(v) of the Constitution empowers the Parliament to make laws with respect to ‘postal, telegraphic, telephonic and other like services’.

 

The program will assist community organisations to purchase items or services which support telephone communications and online communications and activity. Some of these items include phones, laptops, computers, tablets, where these items will be primarily used for communications and online activity.

 

Defence power

 

Section 51(vi) of the Constitution empowers the Parliament to make laws with respect to ‘the naval and military defence’ of the Commonwealth and States, and ‘the control of the forces to execute and maintain the laws of the Commonwealth’.

 

The program will fund volunteer-run activities focussed on assisting veterans or serving members of the ADF and supporting their participation in volunteering.

 

Insurance power

 

Section 51(xiv) of the Constitution empowers the Parliament to make laws with respect to ‘insurance, other than State insurance; also State insurance extending beyond the limits of the State concerned’.

 

The program will fund the costs of a community organisation’s insurance premiums.

 

Aliens power

 

Section 51(xix) of the Constitution empowers the Parliament to make laws with respect to ‘naturalization and aliens’.

 

The program will fund community organisations to provide support or assistance to newly arrived migrants who are not citizens of Australia and support their participation in volunteering.

 

Race power

 

Section 51(xxvi) of the Constitution empowers the Parliament to make laws with respect to ‘the people of any race for whom it is deemed necessary to make special laws’.

 

The program responds to particular needs faced by First Nations people. The program will support activities focussed on supporting First Nations people and supporting their participation in volunteering. For example, the funding will support community organisations to pay for fuel and transport costs to and from a place of volunteering in remote First Nations communities, or to support the objectives of community organisations that are specifically directed to addressing the particular needs of First Nations peoples.

Immigration power

 

Section 51(xxvii) empowers the Parliament to make laws with respect to ‘immigration and emigration’.

 

The program will support activities focussed on supporting newly-arrived migrants settle into Australia and provide for their wants and supporting their participation in volunteering.

 

External affairs power

 

Section 51(xxix) of the Constitution empowers the Parliament to make laws with respect to ‘external affairs’. The external affairs power supports legislation implementing Australia’s international obligations under treaties to which it is a party, including the following:

  • Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW);
  • Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD);
  • Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC);
  • International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD); and
  • International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR).

 

CEDAW

 

Australia has obligations relating to the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women under the CEDAW, in particular, Articles 2, 3, 11, 13 and 14.

 

Article 2 of the CEDAW requires States Parties to ‘condemn discrimination against women in all its forms’ and ‘agree to pursue by all appropriate means and without delay a policy of eliminating discrimination against women’.

 

Article 3 of the CEDAW requires States Parties to take ‘all appropriate measures, including legislation, to ensure the full development and advancement of women, for the purpose of guaranteeing them the exercise and enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms on a basis of equality with men’.

 

Article 11 of the CEDAW requires States Parties to ‘take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women in the field of employment in order to ensure, on a basis of equality of men and women, the same rights’. In particular: the right to work, right to the same employment opportunities, right to free choice of profession and employment, right to equal remuneration, right to social security, right to protection of health and safety in working conditions.

 

Article 13 of the CEDAW requires States Parties to ‘take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women in other areas of economic and social life in order to ensure on the basis of equality of men and women the same rights’. In particular: the right to family benefits, right to bank loans, mortgage and other forms of financial credit and right to participate in recreational activities, sports and all aspects of cultural life.

 


Article 14 of the CEDAW requires States Parties to ‘take into account the particular problems faced by rural women and the significant roles which rural women play in the economic survival of their families, including their work in the non-monetized sectors of the economy, and shall take all appropriate measures to ensure the application of the provisions of the present Convention to women in rural areas’.

 

The program will support community organisations to be able to support women experiencing or are at risk of experiencing gender-based violence, discrimination, disadvantage or isolation by funding volunteer-run activities or reducing or removing barriers to volunteering for this cohort. For example, paying for transport costs of this cohort to ensure safe travel to and from the place of volunteering and providing trauma informed training and mentorship to this cohort to help to rebuild networks.

 

CRPD

 

Australia has obligations to promote and protect the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all persons with disabilities and to promote respect for their inherent disability, in particular, Articles 4, 19, 26 and 28 of the CRPD.

 

Article 4 of the CRPD requires States Parties to ‘ensure and promote the full realization of all human rights and fundamental freedoms for all persons with disabilities without discrimination of any kind on the basis of disability.’ Article 4(a) provides that State Parties undertake to ‘adopt all appropriate legislative, administrative and other measures for the implementation of the rights recognized in the present Convention’.

 

Article 19 of the CRPD requires States Parties to ‘recognize the equal right of all persons with disabilities to live in the community, with choices equal to others, and shall take effective and appropriate measures to facilitate full enjoyment by persons with disabilities of this right and their full inclusion and participation in the community’.

 

Article 26 of the CRPD requires States Parties to ‘take effective and appropriate measures, including through peer support, to enable persons with disabilities to attain and maintain maximum independence, full physical, mental, social and vocational ability, and full inclusion and participation in all aspects of life. To that end, States Parties shall organize, strengthen and extend comprehensive habilitation and rehabilitation services and programmes, particularly in the areas of health, employment, education and social services’.

 

Article 28 of the CRPD requires States Parties to recognise the right of persons with disabilities to an adequate standard of living for themselves and their families, including adequate food, clothing and housing, and to the continuous improvement of living conditions, and shall take appropriate steps to safeguard and promote the realization of this right without discrimination on the basis of disability’. Article 28 also requires States Parties to ‘recognize the right of persons with disabilities to social protection and to the enjoyment of that right without discrimination on the basis of disability, and shall take appropriate steps to safeguard and promote the realization of this right’.

 

The program will support the participation of people with disability in volunteering and will fund activities focussed on supporting people with disability in particular ways. For example, funding under the program will support people with disability to be live independently and participate in all aspects (or any aspect) of life.

CRC

 

Australia has obligations regarding the rights of the child under the CRC, in particular, Articles 4 and 6 of the CRC.

 

Article 4 of the CRC requires States Parties to ‘undertake all appropriate legislative, administrative, and other measures for the implementation of the rights recognized in the present Convention’.

 

Article 6 of the CRC provides that States Parties ‘recognize that every child has the inherent right to life’ and requires States Parties to ‘ensure to the maximum extent possible the survival and development of the child’.

 

The program will support the participation of a child under the age of 18 years in volunteering as a means of facilitating the child’s development and wellbeing, as well as the participation of an adult in volunteering where the main purpose of the adult’s volunteering activities is to facilitate the development and wellbeing of children. The program will also support volunteer-run activities focussed on facilitating children’s development and wellbeing, for example providing education equipment to support activities directed to the development of the child’s abilities.

 

CERD

 

Australia has obligations regarding the elimination of all forms of racial discrimination, in particular, Articles 2 and 7 of the CERD.

 

Article 2 of the CERD requires States Parties to ‘condemn racial discrimination and undertake to pursue by all appropriate means and without delay a policy of eliminating racial discrimination in all its forms and promoting understanding among all races’.

 

Article 7 of the CERD requires States Parties undertake to ‘adopt immediate and effective measures, particularly in the fields of teaching, education, culture and information, with a view to combating prejudices which lead to racial discrimination and to promoting understanding, tolerance and friendship among nations and racial or ethnical groups, as well as to propagating the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, and this Convention’.

 

The program will support volunteer-run activities focussed on eliminating racial discrimination and promoting understanding, tolerance and friendship amongst racial or ethnic groups. For example, the program will support volunteer-run activities to reduce discrimination by fostering respectful behaviours and inclusive environments, enabling individuals from diverse backgrounds to participate confidently in volunteering and community life.

 


ICESCR

 

Australia has obligations under the ICESCR regarding the protection of economic, social and cultural rights, in particular, Articles 2 and 6 of the ICESCR.

 

Article 2 of the ICESCR requires that ‘each State Party to the present Covenant undertakes to take steps, individually and through international assistance and co-operation, especially economic and technical, to the maximum of its available resources, with a view to achieving progressively the full realization of the rights recognized in the present Covenant by all appropriate means, including particularly the adoption of legislative measures’.

 

Article 6 of the ICESCR provides that States Parties ‘recognize the right to work, which includes the right of everyone to the opportunity to gain his living by work which he freely chooses or accept, and will take appropriate steps to safeguard this right’, and that ‘the steps to be taken by a State Party to the present Covenant to achieve the full realization of this right shall include technical and vocational guidance and training programmes, policies and techniques to achieve steady economic, social and cultural development and full and productive employment under conditions safeguarding fundamental political and economic freedom to the individual’.

 

The program will support payments to a community organisation where the payments support the participation of unemployed people in volunteering as a pathway to employment and activities focussed on supporting unemployed people to find employment.

 

Attachment B

 

Statement of Compatibility with Human Rights

 

Prepared in accordance with Part 3 of the Human Rights (Parliamentary Scrutiny) Act 2011

 

Financial Framework (Supplementary Powers) Amendment (Social Services Measures No. 1) Regulations 2026

 

This disallowable legislative instrument is compatible with the human rights and freedoms recognised or declared in the international instruments listed in section 3 of the Human Rights (Parliamentary Scrutiny) Act 2011.

 

Overview of the legislative instrument

 

Section 32B of the Financial Framework (Supplementary Powers) Act 1997 (the FFSP Act) authorises the Commonwealth to make, vary and administer arrangements and grants specified in the Financial Framework (Supplementary Powers) Regulations 1997 (the Principal Regulations) and to make, vary and administer arrangements and grants for the purposes of programs specified in the Regulations. Schedule 1AA and Schedule 1AB to the Principal Regulations specify the arrangements, grants and programs. The powers in the FFSP Act to make, vary or administer arrangements or grants may be exercised on behalf of the Commonwealth by Ministers and the accountable authorities of non‑corporate Commonwealth entities, as defined under section 12 of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013.

 

The Financial Framework (Supplementary Powers) Amendment (Social Services Measures No. 1) Regulations 2026 (the Regulations) amend table item 697 in Part 4 of Schedule 1AB to the Principal Regulations to establish legislative authority for government spending on the Volunteer Grants Program (the program), which is administered by the Department of Social Services.

 

The program was established in 2001 and has operated in varied forms since that time. The program recognises the valuable work of Australia’s volunteers and forms part of the Australian Government’s ongoing commitment to encourage, support and increase participation in volunteering. It helps community organisations to support the efforts of Australia’s volunteers and reduce or remove barriers to volunteering. 

 

The program was modified in 2024 to include insurance and internet service fees as eligible items to meet the needs of not-for-profit community organisations that rely on volunteers, and to introduce children (under 18) as a priority cohort amongst other changes.

 

The program’s eligibility criteria will be expanded in 2026 to allow more volunteers to benefit. The beneficiaries of the expanded program include: 

  • any volunteers in a community organisation where the grant is used to purchase insurance items or communication products including phones, as well as computers, laptops and tablets, where those items are primarily used for communications and online activity.  
  • volunteers who are members of an eligible cohort identified as facing systemic barriers to participation in volunteering, who will be assisted to remove or reduce barriers to volunteering through the purchase of small equipment and/or covering costs associated with training, events, background screening, and travel; and
  • community organisations delivering volunteer-run activities for an eligible cohort or activity through the purchase of small equipment and/or covering costs associated with training, events, background screening, and travel.

 

The overarching objective of the expanded program will remain unchanged. The objective will continue to support volunteers through the already established program criteria, in their volunteering role. Existing funding of $10.0 million per year over three years from 2026-27 is available for the program. 

 

Human rights implications

 

This disallowable legislative instrument engages the following rights:

  • rights to the development and wellbeing of the child – Articles 3, 6, 18 and 31 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), read with article 4;
  • the right to equality and non-discrimination – Article 7 of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD) read with Article 2;
  • the right of all persons with disabilities to live in the community, with choices equal to others – Article 19 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) read with Article 4; and
  • the right to work – Article 6 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) read with Article 2, and Articles 1 to 4 of the International Labour Organization Convention concerning Vocational Guidance and Vocational Training in the Development of Human Resources (ILO Convention 142).

 

Rights to the development and wellbeing of the child 

 

Article 3(2) of the CRC requires that States Parties ‘undertake to ensure the child such protection and care as is necessary for his or her wellbeing, taking into account the rights and duties of his or her parents, legal guardians, or other individuals legally responsible for him or her, and, to this end, shall take all appropriate legislative and administrative measures’.

 

Article 4 of the CRC requires that States Parties to the CRC shall undertake all appropriate legislative, administrative and other measures for the implementation of all rights under the CRC.

 

Article 6(2) of the CRC requires States Parties to ‘ensure to the maximum extent possible the survival and development of the child’. 

 

Article 18(2) of the CRC requires States Parties to render appropriate assistance to parents and legal guardians in the performance of their child-rearing responsibilities.

 

Article 31(1) of the CRC requires States Parties to recognise ‘the right of the child to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to the age of the child and to participate freely in cultural life and the arts.’ 

 


The expanded program will promote the rights of children to develop to their fullest potential by removing barriers they face to volunteering through the provision of funding to community organisations in supporting their development and wellbeing and developing the skills of parents and carers to assist in the child’s development. For example, funding may cover the purchase of insurance that will cover children (under 18), enabling them to participate in volunteering opportunities. It can also support transportation costs and the purchase of sporting equipment for use by children. These measures facilitating their development and wellbeing through participation in community and cultural activities, as well as educational opportunities. 

 

Right to equality and non-discrimination  

 

Article 2 of the CERD requires States Parties to condemn racial discrimination and undertake to pursue by all appropriate means and without delay a policy of eliminating racial discrimination in all its forms and promoting understanding among all races.

 

Article 7 of the CERD requires State Parties to ‘undertake to adopt immediate and effective measures, particularly in the fields of teaching, education, culture and information, with a view to combating prejudices which lead to racial discrimination and to promoting understanding, tolerance and friendship among nations and racial or ethnical groups’.

 

The expanded program supports this right through volunteer-run anti-racism and cultural safety programs to equip communities with practical tools to identify, prevent, and respond to racism. These activities can assist in reducing discrimination by fostering respectful behaviors and inclusive environments, enabling individuals from diverse backgrounds to participate confidently in volunteering and community life. Examples of such volunteer-run activities include having art and cultural events to promote multicultural.

 

Rights of persons with disabilities 

 

Article 4 of the CRPD provides that States Parties undertake to ensure and promote the full realisation of all human rights and fundamental freedoms for all persons with disabilities without discrimination of any kind on the basis of disability.

 

Article 4(a) provides that States Parties undertake to adopt ‘all appropriate legislative, administrative and other measures’ to implement rights recognized in this Convention.

 

Article 19 requires States Parties to ‘facilitate full enjoyment by persons with disabilities of this right and their full inclusion and participation in the community’.

 

The expanded program promotes the rights of disabled persons by providing them with the right to live in the community, with choices equal to others, and to participate in the community, via volunteering. The funding that is provided to community organisations will enable them to purchase items or services that remove barriers to the participation of disabled people in volunteering. Examples of such items could include purchase of accessible equipment items such as portable ramps and devices to enable them to physically attend premises and facilitate communication, so they are able to fully participate in volunteer-run activities. 

 


Right to work 

 

Article 2 of the ICESCR requires each State Party to ‘take steps…to the maximum of its available resources, with a view to achieving progressively the full realisation’ of the rights recognised in the ICESCR ‘by all appropriate means, including particularly the adoption of legislative measures’.

 

Article 6 of the ICESCR recognises the right to work and provides that the States Parties will take appropriate steps to achieve the realisation of the right to work, including through technical and vocational training. Further, Articles 1 to 4 of the ILO Convention 142 relate to the adoption and development of comprehensive and coordinated policies and programs of vocational guidance and training, including providing broadest possible information and guidance, which are closely linked with employment for all people.   

 

The expanded program will support community organisations to provide volunteer opportunities that support individuals to contribute to the economic, social and cultural parts of life. For example, funding will be provided for volunteer-run activities for the main purpose of supporting people who are unemployed to increase their capacity to engage in employment, thereby, helping people from diverse backgrounds to engage with the workforce and build key employable skills through volunteering.

 

Conclusion

 

This disallowable legislative instrument is compatible with human rights because it promotes the protection of human rights.

 

 

 

 

Senator the Hon Katy Gallagher

Minister for Finance

Interactions

Authorises

All Versions

Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation at 26 August 2026. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to https://www.legislation.gov.au.