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Fault-finding, fear and fabrication – for whom?

By Alan Austin - posted Wednesday, 31 October 2012


"The ACNC will also ramp up the penalties for when things go wrong. Australians currently donate $14.6 billion in volunteer time every year to charities. The ACNC legislation proposes that volunteer board members could be held personally liable in cases of management malpractice ..."

So with $14.6 billion in play, what does the IPA want? No-one liable for management malpractice? No penalties for wrongdoing?

"These measures won't stop people from doing the wrong thing. They will simply discourage people from becoming involved in charities in the first place."

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Again no evidence. Again untrue. Clear penalties for proscribed breaches will certainly eliminate many of the shysters.

"Of course, it's also a gross violation of a person's right to privacy for details about their private donations to be handed over to the government."

Absolute drivel. Taxpayers gladly provide receipts for deductible donations at tax time. Money back from the taxman makes this time-honoured Aussie tradition a very happy one.

Gregory worries that, "the government will be increasing taxation to the earnings of NFPs that are deemed to be 'non-altruistic'... To make matters worse, this increased taxation will be applied retrospectively. As in, right now."

Correct. And this is a problem why? Claiming charitable tax deductions for non-altruistic activities is called tax evasion. Measures to curb evasion must be retrospective, or they don't work. Anti-tax evasion 101.

Gregory concludes with, "The ACNC is one of the worst examples of government involving itself where it is not needed or wanted."

Not wanted by whom? Dodgy religious groups? Fake charities? Money launderers? Tax evaders? The IPA and its financial backers may not want the Commission, but most Australian not-for-profit professionals – and donors – do.

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About the Author

Alan Austin is an Australian freelance journalist currently based in Nîmes in the South of France. His special interests are overseas development, Indigenous affairs and the interface between the religious communities and secular government. As a freelance writer, Alan has worked for many media outlets over the years and been published in most Australian newspapers. He worked for eight years with ABC Radio and Television’s religious broadcasts unit and seven years with World Vision. His most recent part-time appointment was with the Uniting Church magazine Crosslight.

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