Philanthropy Australia welcomes the release of the Productivity Commission’s ‘Future Foundations for Giving’ report

Philanthropy Australia has welcomed the release of the final report of the Productivity Commission’s ‘once in a generation’ philanthropy inquiry, Future Foundations for Giving, which was tabled in Parliament yesterday afternoon.

The report makes it clear that the Australian Government needs to implement significant reforms to build stronger policy foundations for growing giving in Australia. It is a comprehensive analysis of giving trends and motivations, and a detailed assessment of policy options. Philanthropy Australia actively participated in the inquiry’s extensive stakeholder engagement process.

The report contains numerous findings and recommendations, covering areas such as:
• Reform of the ‘deductible gift recipient’ (DGR) system that determines which charities can receive tax deductible donations
• Enhancing access to philanthropic networks for First Nations people and supporting new and existing First Nations-led philanthropic organisations
• Bolstering the regulation of charities and ancillary funds
• Improving public information sources about charities and giving

The report makes a significant finding that the DGR system is not fit for purpose, recommending a major overhaul of the system, focused on broadening its scope and making the framework simpler for charities and donors.

In his media release upon the tabling of the report, the Assistant Minister for Charities, the Hon Andrew Leigh MP, re-affirmed the Australian Government goal to double giving by 2030, stating that “the Productivity Commission’s report will inform future steps in reaching that goal”.

The Chief Executive Officer of Philanthropy Australia, Maree Sidey, welcomed the Australian Government’s re-affirmed commitment to double giving by 2030, and the Assistant Minister’s statement that the Commission’s report will play a key role in achieving this objective.

“Growing giving plays an important role in building a more inclusive and sustainable future for Australia, empowering people and communities to thrive – that is the future that Philanthropy Australia wants to see,” said Maree Sidey.

“Policy choices reflect our values and our priorities as a nation, and over the coming months, the Australian Government will need to make important choices about how to respond to the Future Foundations for Giving report and its recommendations.

“Philanthropy Australia looks forward to working with our members and with our partners across the not-for-profit sector to engage with the Assistant Minister for Charities and the Australian Government, to shape the policy choices made in response to this report,” said Maree Sidey.

Philanthropy Australia conveys its thanks to the Productivity Commission’s Deputy Chair Alex Robson and Commissioner Julie Abramson for their work on the inquiry, alongside Philanthropy Australia’s newly appointed Executive Director, Krystian Seibert, who served as an Associate Commissioner for the inquiry. It also expresses its appreciation to the staff team at the Commission for their dedication and effort delivering this significant undertaking.

The report and overview are available on the Productivity Commission’s website.