Andrew Leigh

STOP THE WAR ON CHARITIES

Labor will support the set of principles outlined today the Hands Off Our Charities Alliance, in order to ensure that the not for profit sector remains viable and our democracy stays intact.

This began as a debate about foreign donations but somehow, in the hands of Malcolm Turnbull, it has morphed into a war on charities and not for profits.

We’ve heard from multiple charities over many weeks about their concerns that the foreign donation bill will stop them from advocating for their communities and make it harder to raise money to support communities in need.

There is bipartisan support for banning foreign political donations, but banning donations to political parties should not entail cutting down free speech.

The advocacy voice of charities and not-for-profits is not only the voice of the various organisations—it is the voice of every Australian who donates, volunteers or is a member of a charity. When the voice of charities and not-for-profits are threatened, so is our democracy.

That’s why Labor supports these principles laid out by respected charities including Oxfam, Save the Children, WWF and Human Rights Watch. We can stop foreign donations without hurting charities.

The Turnbull Government’s war on charities has to stop and the sector has now handed them the blueprint to do so.

Authorised by Noah Carroll, ALP, Canberra