Philanthropy Australia member engagement on the Double Giving Policy Process

The Government’s pledge to develop a Strategy to Double Giving by 2030 – which picked up the key recommendation of Philanthropy Australia’s Election Statement – looks to be a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create a more generous and giving culture in Australia.  The process is now gathering pace, with the Productivity Commission (PC) commencing its review in February.  We were of course delighted to see Krystian Seibert announced as an Associate Commissioner on the review, alongside the Commissioners Alex Robson and Julia Abramson, and a strong team at the PC led by Anna Heaney.

The PC has set up an Inquiry page here which includes the Terms of Reference, and it has announced the key dates for its review.

• 21 March – call for submissions.
• 5 May – submissions due.
• 23 November – draft report.
• February 2024 – public hearings.
• 9 February 2024 – final submissions due.
• May 2024 – final report to government.

The draft report in November could position the Government to respond to the PC Inquiry with a package of reforms in the May 2024 Budget.  Alternatively the Government may choose to await the final report in May 2024 before responding.

Philanthropy Australia is today releasing a draft, work-in-progress Submission, with an Executive Summary version, and a Full Submission.   Hopefully the Executive Summary – and the Strategy on a Page – will allow you to get across the breadth of the Submission relatively quickly.  The Full Submission does contain considerable detail on the proposed policy reforms and the case for change.  This approach recognises that key players in this process – such as the PC and the Federal Treasury – apply a rigorous lens to any policy proposals and will want to see a detailed case for reform.

We’ve chosen to come out early in the process with a draft for a couple of key reasons:

1. Inform and engage PA members, and position members to participate in the process, should you be keen to do so.  PA will shortly invite members to sessions – some online and some in person – to discuss the policy agenda we will advocate to government.  These sessions will have several objectives:

• Inform: Led by Sam Rosevear, our Executive Director of Policy, Government Relations and Research, we will summarise our draft agenda, and also highlight national polling by Redbridge, commissioned by PA, which shows strong popular support for the agenda.
• Seek feedback: Your input will help improve the quality of the Submission, and we will revise the draft – and spruce it up – prior to submitting the final submission to the PC before the 5 May deadline.
• Help position you to write your own submissions, should you wish to do so.  Members may wish to draw on some of the material in our draft, work-in-progress Submission to write your own submissions.  Your voices of support for key aspects of the agenda – such as super bequests, extending DGR to all charities, a National Giving Campaign and many more – can help influence the PC and government to embrace key reforms. 
• Talk government engagement: You may wish to provide advice, or be positioned to contribute to, next steps in our government engagement.

2. Be a key part of influencing the national debate and influencing the PC and Government on the double giving agenda.  PA is engaging closely with the Productivity Commission, the Assistant Minister for Charities, the Treasury and a suite of other government officials and MPs to encourage them to grasp this rare opportunity to create and more generous and giving national culture, and to try to win support for key aspects of the agenda.

Key dates for member engagement:

Discussion with Sam Rosevear: Philanthropy Australia’s Submission to the Productivity Commission – for Philanthropy Australia’s Corporate Impact, Engaged, Active and New Gen members only
Tuesday, 4 April 2023
12:00pm – 01:30pm
More details and registration link

Discussion with Sam Rosevear: Philanthropy Australia’s Submission to the Productivity Commission – for all Philanthropy Australia members
Thursday 6 April 2023, 12:00pm – 1:00pm AEST
Tuesday 18 April 2023, 12:30pm – 1:30pm AEST
More details and registration

Sam Rosevear is Philanthropy Australia’s Executive Director of Policy, Government Relations and Research