Andrew Leigh

ANDREW LEIGH MP
SHADOW ASSISTANT TREASURER
SHADOW MINISTER FOR COMPETITION AND PRODUCTIVITY
SHADOW MINISTER FOR TRADE IN SERVICES
SHADOW MINISTER FOR CHARITIES AND NOT-FOR-PROFITS
MEMBER FOR FENNER
 
CATRYNA BILYK
CHAIR OF THE SENATE SELECT COMMITTEE ON CHARITY FUNDRAISING IN THE 21ST CENTURY
SENATOR FOR TASMANIA
 
LABOR WILL FIX FUNDRAISING FOR AUSTRALIAN NOT FOR PROFITS

After six years of government hostility, Australian charities finally have something to look forward to.

The Senate Select Committee’s Report into Charitable Fundraising in the 21^st Century, tabled yesterday, urges parliament to fix Australia’s fundraising laws within the next two years.

For too long, Australia’s charity sector have been banging their heads against the wall of our outdated and complex fundraising laws.

Fundraising red tape has real costs. Under the current fundraising laws, charities face a paperwork burden each year of around $15 million. That’s money should be spent on the good work charities do.

The case for change has been made again and again, but now the Labor-chaired Select Committee has set the clock ticking on achieving reform.

Labor has committed to fix fundraising for Australian charities, and for the donors that support them. The problem is clear. The solutions are clear. Now it’s time to get this done.

For once, the parliament has given Australian charities something to celebrate. The Coalition started their term in government by coming after the charities commission with a hatchet. They sent in an anti-charities commissioner to white-ant the sector, and mounted a series of attacks on the rights of charities to speak for the community in public policy debates.

In less than six years, the Coalition has churned through six ministers responsible for the charities commission. When they’re not attacking charities directly, they’re punishing them by neglect. Over the same time, Labor has consistently fought to give the charity sector the tools and leadership it needs to do the vital work that so many Australians invest their own time and money to facilitate. We’ve consulted with thousands of organisations to hear what the organisations need to thrive and build happier and more connected Australian communities.

Finally, the non-profit sector can see an end in sight to the Coalition’s war on charities. Only Labor will fix fundraising, and support our valuable charity sector.

ENDS

Authorised by Noah Carroll ALP Canberra.