The Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) has said that provisions in the Budget may help remove barriers to paid employment, but the ‘get tough measures’ on the unemployed – including imposing activity requirements on social security recipients – are unnecessary and counter-productive.

The allocation of funding for mental health services in the Budget was received well by ACOSS, as was the announcement that the Federal Government will be introducing an independent regulator for the not-for-profit sector, better targeting not-for-profit tax concessions and introducing a statutory definition of ‘charity’, as part of the 2011–2012 Budget.

ACOSS has said though, that it would like to see more Federal funding allocated to promoting equal pay.