Friday 29th of March 2024

smoking as a non-profit activity?...

gary johnsgary johns

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Civil Voices, an initiative by Pro Bono Australia and the Human Rights Law Centre, has found civil society organisations are feeling pressured to take a more cautious approach to advocacy in order to sustain and protect their other functions and services.

The research, carried out by academics at the University of Melbourne and launched on Tuesday, set out to examine how public debate and advocacy has evolved over a decade and whether NGO perceptions of their capacity to participate in public debate has changed. 

 

Note this article was written in 2017... Today, the Scomo government is trying to push the same sauce again...

 

Back to the article... 

It found “public debate in Australia is not as healthy as it ought to be in a developed liberal democracy”.

“Despite some disquiet across the sector, many organisations report that they engage in some form of ‘self-silencing’ – treading very carefully in their advocacy work less they risk financial security and political retribution,” the report said.

“Australian civil society needs to be reinvigorated, supported, and encouraged to engage in frank and fearless advocacy.

“The more the silencing of civil society is normalised the higher the risk becomes to the overall quality of Australian democracy.”

Report co-author, University of Melbourne Associate Professor Sarah Maddison said the main finding was “fairly insidious”.

“We’ve moved away from the really overtly hostile period of governance of the civil society sector. Instead what we are seeing is that the sector itself has taken on board some of those concerns into a mode of operation that we’re calling ‘self-silencing’,” Maddison said.

“Our once vocal, sometimes strident, advocacy sector, bringing the voice and the experience of Australia’s most marginalised communities to the fore and helping government make better policy has been effectively silenced both by governments and now by itself.”

Civil Voices builds on the Australia Institute-led report Silencing Dissent: Non-Government Organisations and Australian Democracy, which was co-authored by Maddison in 2004.

Revisiting the topic 13 years later, researchers found the data presented a complex picture where debate was being stifled in Australia on a number of fronts which, when combined together, presented a powerful picture of a sector that was losing its voice.

“If we think about the lack of media resources, in a crowded and noisy media environment, in which one in five organisations are still actively silenced by funding agreements, and 12 per cent by pressure from a board or management, we get a sense of the complex environment in which the sector is operating and their perceived need to carefully manage the risks associated with advocacy work,” Maddison said.

“The data clearly suggests that public debate is further limited through self-censorship because of implied repercussions (from within or outside the organisation) stemming from fears of government funding cuts or loss of DGR status.”

A total of 1,462 people responded to the survey (30 per cent of whom were not-for-profit CEOs).

 

See: https://yourdemocracy.net/drupal/comment/reply/10145/39773

 

 

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Now Greenpeace are calling for help to prevent the "Commissioner" to act... 


Changes to the laws would hand the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) sweeping new powers to completely deregister organisations over minor offences or clerical errors. Note that GREENPEACE does not get any monies from governments nor corporations, but the donations you make are tax deductible and GREENPEACE is Non-profit organisation (NGO). The "commissioner" could revoke their status whenever he wishes to see a "spelling mistake"...

 

Note that the present Commissioner is Gary Johns, who is a "turnCoat"... He was in the ALP (right?) then moved on... He was Senior Fellow at the Institute of Public Affairs (the enemy of common sense and global warming theory), senior consultant with ACIL Tasman, Associate Professor, Australian Catholic University, and Visiting Fellow at QUT Business...

 

His appointment by Turnbull (who else) was controversial...

 

In 2017 Johns was appointed by the Turnbull Government as the commissioner of the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission. His appointment was publicly criticised by David Crosbie, the CEO of the Communities Council for Australia, who said he had made "numerous public statements that clearly indicate he is opposed to many charities and their work".[6][7]

Lobby for the tobacco-industry
As a director of the conservative 'think-tank' the Australian Institute for Progress,[8] Johns was an advocate for the tobacco industry.[9][10] Around 2016, he also worked for the International Tax and Investment Center (ITIC), a policy institute that received funding from the tobacco-industry. As a consultant for the ITIC Johns was scathing of the anti-smoking Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance, calling it "an instrument of the World Health Organisation".[11][9]

 

See more:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Johns

 

Write to your local MP and all the members of ScoMo's silly government to remove these new powers at the mercy of the "commissioner" of the ACNC...

greenpeace...

We've been campaigning for a green and peaceful future for 40 years — and we're not stopping now. It's time to rise up like never before and fight for our climate and communities.

 

https://www.greenpeace.org.au/what-we-do/

being frank...

 

BY Frank Brennan

 

The Morrison Government is committed to reducing red tape.  Charities have more work than ever to do during this time of pandemic.  The Senate is being asked to disallow a new regulation which would impact unduly on all charities, making them liable to deregistration should any of their members or volunteers commit a simple offence.  Gary Johns the ACNC Commissioner has not sought the regulation; Michael Sukkar, the Assistant Treasurer cannot explain the need for it; and Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells cannot understand its scope. 

 

Last Wednesday, the Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Delegated Legislation chaired by the Government’s Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells tabled a report highlighting problems with a proposed new regulation affecting charities. There are 59,000 registered charities in Australia.  They are the backbone of the voluntary sector assisting citizens in all manner of situations, particularly in times of emergency and particularly in situations of ongoing economic deprivation.  Think only of Vinnies and the Salvos.  Charities enjoy various benefits from government, including the capacity to offer tax deductibility for donations.  The Australian Charities and Not‑for‑profits Commission (ACNC)  has the job of overseeing charities. 

The Morrison government has a strong commitment to reducing government red tape.  But at the same time, it has moved to tighten the supervision of charities. The Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission Regulation 2013 sets down governance standards for charities.  At the moment, governance standard 3 prohibits a registered charity from acting in a way that may be an indictable offence or an offence carrying a serious penalty.  The proposed new regulation would place a charity at risk of losing its registration if one of its staff or volunteers were to do an act (or omit to do an act) that may be dealt with as a summary offence under an Australian law relating to real property, personal property or causing personal injury or harm to an individual.  The charity could also face deregistration if it failed to take reasonable steps to ensure its resources were not being used to promote acts (or omissions) by any entity that may be dealt with as a summary offence.  Summary offences are lesser offences which are dealt with by a magistrate.  Indictable offences are more serious offences which usually come before a judge and jury. 

Toby O’Connor the CEO of Vinnies has given an example of the operation of the proposed change.  There are over 50,000 Vinnies members who volunteer around Australia.  Every year on Palm Sunday, there are protest rallies against the government’s refugee and asylum policy.  Under the present law, if a Vinnies member were to disobey a police direction at one of these protests, that would be a matter between the member and the police.  It would have nothing to do with Vinnies, and could not impact on the ongoing registration of Vinnies as a charity.  If the Senate were not to disallow the new regulation, the ACNC commissioner could instigate an inquiry, requiring Vinnies to waste precious resources justifying its ongoing registration. The actions of the Vinnies protester could threaten the Vinnies charity registration.

Here is the problem.  Dr Gary Johns is the ACNC Commissioner.  When questioned about the new regulation, he pointed out that in his 4 years as commissioner, the ACNC has deregistered only 45 out of 59,000 charities, mainly for misuse of funds.  At the Senate Economics Legislation Committee on 2 June 2021, Senator Anthony Chisholm put it to Dr Johns: ‘But it’s not as if there has been a widespread problem that needs to be addressed through amendment to government standard No. 3.’  Johns replied, ‘Not on our figures, but I can’t speak for the government on its desire to introduce regulations.’  He told the committee: ‘There is, in regulation now, a discretion that I have … to look at responsible persons—that’s a committee member—who may or may not have committed a crime. The government is looking at a different set of crimes, as I understand it. But my discretion to take into account the behaviour of individuals has not changed and, as I understand it, will not change; I could do those things now. The discretion has not ever been used, I might say. We have to understand here that we regulate charities, so the behaviour of an individual may or may not be an indication that the charity, if you like, is undertaking activities that are not permissible.’  So why the need for the change?  Dr Johns was not able to enlighten the Senate committee.  He was not seeking the change.

The Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Delegated Legislation has now reported.  This committee works in a bipartisan fashion, with equal numbers of Government and Opposition senators.  It is chaired by a government senator who is an experienced lawyer and a previous minister.  The committee was very unimpressed with the drafting of the proposed new regulation, noting ‘it is unclear what the full scope of the offences may be’ and that ‘In this instance, the committee considers that the explanatory statement does not provide sufficient detail as to the scope of these discretionary powers, their necessity, or any relevant limitations.’  Also ‘it is unclear whether the instrument may limit registered entities’ implied freedom of political communication, by preventing them from engaging in, or supporting certain activities. This may include limiting their ability to engage in, or support, certain types of political protest.’  The committee noted that it had received ‘considerable correspondence’ from a wide range of charities which ‘served to heighten the committee’s scrutiny concerns about the potential impact the instrument may have on registered charities.’

As is customary, the committee sought clarification from the responsible minister, in this case the Assistant Treasurer, Michael Sukkar.  ‘However, while acknowledging the Assistant Treasurer’s advice, the committee retains some significant concerns regarding aspects of this instrument.’ In particular, the committee has requested ‘the Assistant Treasurer’s more detailed advice as to how the instrument as a whole…does not impermissibly restrict the implied freedom of political communication.’

 If the Morrison Government is going to add another level of red tape to the operation of charities, it needs to provide the Senate and the charities with a coherent, transparent explanation about what it is up to.  When asked on ABC Radio Breakfast why the government was persisting with this amendment not sought by Dr Johns and not explained adequately by Minister Sukkar, Tim Costello replied: ‘The government can’t find time to put in a Federal ICAC. This is where we scratch our heads. They can find time to do this, which is unprecedented and goes way beyond any other group in society when they need it. I think it has all got to do with that sense that we don’t want charities doing advocacy. That’s why they want to do it. And charities absolutely – charity coming from the old English word for love – they give, they serve, but they also say we wouldn’t need to give in service much if there were some policy changes. So, they do advocacy. That’s what the government doesn’t like. That’s what absolutely this is about.’

This is a bad law, an excessive piece of red tape, and a patronising disincentive to public protest by people who care passionately about injustices because they are touched by the lives of those suffering those injustices. Government already has more than enough armoury to police charities which abuse their special tax status.  The cross-benchers should join with Labor in disallowing this unnecessary regulation

 

Frank Brennan AO is a Jesuit priest and Rector of Newman College at the University of Melbourne. He is a Distinguished Fellow of the PM Glynn Institute at Australian Catholic University and an Adjunct Professor at the Thomas More Law School at ACU.

 

Read more:

https://johnmenadue.com/unsought-unnecessary-and-unexplained-red-tape-aimed-at-silencing-charities/

 

Frank is a great Jesuit. Gus is a rabid atheist who sees Frank Brennan as good guy... We've mentione him a few times on this site..

 

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FREE JULIAN ASSANGE NOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

hands off our charities...

More than 100 charities and non-profit organisations from Anglicare to Amnesty are urging federal Parliament to scrap rules aimed at stopping their resources going to unlawful acts after a report found they could cost up to $150 million in their first year.

The welfare, advocacy and aid groups operating under the banner Hands Off Our Charities commissioned a report on the likely bill for the legal, training and administration costs of the laws before a likely vote in the Senate this month on whether to negate them.

Consultancy ACIL Allen found an upper estimate of costs was $150 million in the first year, followed by an annual impost of $40 million. A more conservative estimate showed a $78 million hit in year one and $24 million annually thereafter.

“This new report outlines the extraordinary red-tape burden the Morrison government is imposing on charities that provide vital services to vulnerable people including emergency food relief, family violence support and mental health assistance,” said Ray Yoshida, a spokesman for the charities.

 

“Not only will these changes crack down on the free speech of charities across Australia, the burdensome red-tape will affect service delivery.”

The new rules state charities must have reasonable internal control procedures to ensure their resources are not used to promote another entity’s actions or omissions that could amount to a set of unlawful things, such as trespassing.

That broad sweep has prompted fears in the charity sector that relatively minor infringements as part of a protest, for example, could be caught by the rules.

Assistant Treasurer Michael Sukkar defended the rules, which have not come into force yet, saying Australians expected their support for charities to go toward good works rather than unlawful activities.

The charities and not-for-profits commissioner would be empowered to investigate charities engaging in or promoting theft, vandalism, trespass and threatening behaviour under the regulations, Mr Sukkar said, adding the regulator would do so proportionately.

“The revised governance standard does not impose a new burden on charities as they are already required to follow Australian laws,” Mr Sukkar said. “Acting lawfully protects a charity’s assets, reputation, and the people it works with. Charities will still be able to undertake advocacy activities consistent with their charitable purpose, provided it is conducted lawfully.”

An explanatory statement issued by Mr Sukkar when the new rules were unveiled estimated their cost would $1.4 million for 9500 large charities. That figure is based on an assumption the charities do a one off, two-hour review of their processes while the vast majority of charities will not need to do anything to comply.

“In addition, a handful of activist charities who engage in unlawful protest action will need to review their internal controls and potentially curb their activities where their conduct is unlawful,” the statement says. However, it says they are so few that the costs will be “immaterial”.

But ACIL Allen’s report says based on a survey of charities much more work will be required to comply with the rules across the sector. It says charities believe they will have to review the laws, check if their processes comply, train staff, and do extensive due diligence before partnering with other charities. Some of that will require expensive lawyers, meaning a much higher overall cost.

 

The Liberal-led parliamentary committee that examines regulations recommended in late September that the new charity rules should be thrown out because of free speech and regulatory overreach concerns.

Unlike laws, regulations can be determined by a minister without Parliament’s approval. However, the Senate can reject them with a majority vote, scheduled for October 18 in this case.

Charities and not-for-profits are already banned from doing anything that is a serious criminal offence or a breach of civil laws that attracts a fine greater than $13,320.

 

Read more: https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/charities-fear-150-million-hit-from-cost-of-new-government-rules-20211010-p58ypu.html

 

 

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Meanwhile the government can rort its "charitable grants" to its chosen targets, to win win elections... Scotty of Nappy Marketing should sack himself...

 

assangezassangez

 

silence is rotten...

This year, Australian charities have been fighting a federal government attempt to silence them. This is not the first time, and it’s a battle Tim Costello, for one, has fought his entire career. Repeatedly dismissed as “that leftist cleric” by Victorian premier Jeff Kennett during the 1990s, Costello, a lawyer and Baptist minister, is known for his public criticism of state and federal governments on behalf of people who live in poverty. He is now chair of the Community Council for Australia, a lobby and support group for the charity and not-for-profit sector, and he’s worried about a new Morrison government law. “If a charity doesn’t have a documented policy on which staff are permitted to use social media accounts,” Costello said, describing a potential result of the law to the ABC’s Fran Kelly in August, “then they tweet something about a peaceful rally at which there might be...

 

 

Read more:

https://www.themonthly.com.au/issue/2021/november/1635685200/russell-marks/silence-lambs

 

 

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FREE JULIAN ASSANGE NOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!