I acknowledge the Ngunnawal people on whose lands we meet and pay respects to all First Nations people present today.
Thank you to Jess Moore and Tara Anderson for the warm introduction. Thank you to Social Traders and Social Enterprise Australia for hosting yet another Round Table and for the invitation to address you all today.
I am delighted to be joining such a distinguished line‑up of speakers including Vicki Ward, Victorian Minister for Employment and for Prevention of Family Violence. I would like to acknowledge my Federal parliamentary colleagues: Zoe Daniel, Daniel Mulino and Julian Hill. And also to acknowledge the work that Social Traders and Social Enterprise Australia does to support and develop the social enterprise sector in Australia.
I am delighted to be speaking for the second consecutive year at this event. I love seeing forums like these go from strength to strength, and to feel the innovative energy of social enterprise buzzing around Parliament today.
To support people participate in work; to engage the disengaged; to improve the environment; to build strong communities; to tackle inequality and injustice – these are the intrinsic motivations we share in this room, and which drive you all to build and run the social enterprise sector in Australia.
Social enterprise is unique. It is a field which combines two key ideas – entrepreneurship and social progress – into one powerful force for change. The term “entrepreneur” originated in French economics as far back as the 17th and 18th centuries, in its broadest sense meaning someone who “undertakes” a significant project (Dees, 1998). And making social progress has been a pursuit of philanthropists, leaders, businesses and citizens for centuries. You all bring these traditions together. You are unique leaders working across boundaries. You are dedicated to undertaking the life‑long project of social and economic progress and finding new and better ways of doing things, as Gregory Dees wrote in his field‑defining article on this subject.
More than 25 years after the phrase “social enterprise” was coined, the diverse business structures that social enterprise offers are fast becoming an integral part of our economy. Nationally, social enterprises employ over 200,000 people – that’s 1 in 60 jobs of the Australian workforce (Social Enterprise Australia, 2024). Together, they account for 1 per cent of GDP and contribute over $21 billion per year to the Australian economy (Social Enterprise Australia, 2024). Our social enterprise sector has global influence too. At the end of 2022, the Social Enterprise World Forum was hosted in Brisbane, bringing together over 2,500 local and international changemakers (Social Enterprise World Forum, 2024).
I see the impact of this growth at home here in Canberra in social enterprise GG’s Flowers and Gifts. Nip Wijewickrema set up the business up to support her sister Gayana, who was born with Down Syndrome. GG’s employs around 45 people with disabilities, from packing orders to delivering flowers and gift hampers across Canberra (Coggan, 2021).
Nationally, social enterprises are also helping to build the inclusive data economy of the future. Australian Spatial Analytics, a work‑integrated social enterprise, provides professional data and geospatial services and careers for young neurodivergent adults. It has more than 120 employees and is growing rapidly (White, 2023).
These are both exciting examples of how social enterprise can deliver on Labor’s vision of “a dynamic and inclusive labour market where everyone has the opportunity for secure, fairly‑paid work and where communities can thrive”, as Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth have explained.
Other social enterprises offer a business model structured to give back. Brisbane‑based Give Industries is a commercial electrician social enterprise, which gives 100 per cent of its profits to charities. It’s an inspiring example of how social enterprise can catalyse change in giving, at a time when our government has set a target to double philanthropy by 2030. This year, the Productivity Commission will deliver its review of philanthropy final report, which will identify the opportunities and the obstacles around increasing charitable giving.
Neither government, the not‑for‑profit sector, nor social enterprise can build a more just, inclusive, and generous labour market and society alone. That is why our government announced last year that we are working with the social enterprise sector to boost participation in some of the most disadvantaged places in Australia (Chalmers & Rishworth, 2023). The Social Enterprise Development Initiative, an initiative of the Department of Social Services, will announce the first capability building grants round in 2024 (Department of Social Services, 2023).
The Final Report of the Select Committee on Workforce Australia Employment Services was clear in its recommendations that government should consider the role of social enterprise in the employment services system. As a government, we are open to exploring the role that social enterprise can play.
Social enterprises are a vital piece in the puzzle because they don’t just provide inclusive employment opportunities. They create strong and cohesive communities, too. Many provide a place where people can bring their whole selves to work, and build the confidence, skills, relationships and sense of belonging for a healthy and happy life. This social capital is essential glue for sustainable social and economic growth and reconnecting our communities in an increasingly disconnected world.
As social enterprises scale up and take on a bigger role in our economy, I hope they make an ever bigger dent in some of the worrying social trends that I wrote with Nick Terrell in Reconnected, such as disengagement from group and community activities, declining participation in team sports and religious organisations.
The stories I have spoken about today are stories of hope for this transformation. They are also a reminder of how treasured social enterprises are for every person who finds work, purpose and meaning through engaging with them. We need the boundary‑spanning of a strong social enterprise sector to continue to build a strong, productive, and inclusive society and economy for the future.
The initiatives and actions that that I have spoken about are simply the beginning of our government’s plan to work with social enterprises to boost employment and to build community. We are committed to growing and strengthening the community sector, and to leveraging the unique strengths of social enterprise to deliver social and economic opportunity for all.
References
Chalmers J and Rishworth A (25 September 2023) Boosting opportunity for Australia’s most disadvantaged through social enterprises.
Coggan M (4 August 2021) Flowers for Opportunity, ProBono Australia.
Dees G (1998) The Meaning of “Social Entrepreneurship".
Department of Social Services (2023) Social Enterprise and Development Initiative, Department of Social Services, accessed 17 March 2023.
Social Enterprise Australia (2024) Homepage, Social Enterprise Australia, accessed 16 March 2023.
Social Enterprise World Forum (2022) Events – Social Enterprise World forum 2022, Social Enterprise World Forum, accessed 17 March 2023.
White S (20 October 2023) ‘How some Australian companies are supporting neurodiverse employees’, Sydney Morning Herald.