In the former war on charities, how permanent is the ceasefire?

Charities Minister Dr Andrew Leigh referred to the Coalition’s infamously adversarial approach to the charity sector during its nine years in power several times during last week’s Charities and Not-for-profits Pre-election Forum at the National Press Club in Canberra.

“It is no exaggeration to say that for nine years under the Coalition that we saw a war on charities,” Leigh said during the event.

He went on to detail moves including a failed attempt to abolish the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission to back up his claims.

“They couldn't get that legislation through the Parliament, so they finally backed down, and when they did, they did the next best thing: they appointed Gary Johns as the head of the charities commission, a measure akin to putting Dracula in charge of the blood bank.

“This was not an appointment that was welcomed by the sector. It was seen by many for what it was: a direct attack on charities.”

Leigh doubled down on social media following the event, posting several messages on X (formerly Twitter) highlighting the former Coalition government's disdain for the sector.

In an interview with the Community Advocate following the Press Club debate, Opposition Charities spokesman Senator Dean Smith did not deny there had been tensions between the former government and the sector and said he understood why Leigh was trying to keep the war on charities narrative alive, but times had changed.

“I understand the political point that Andrew Leigh is making, trying to reignite discussions from the past as a way of trying to distract people's attention from the lack of progress, the lack of transformative reform that has happened over the past three years,” he said.

“I understand the politics of that. I totally disagree with that.”

Smith said that in his three years as Opposition Charities spokesman, he had travelled far and wide throughout the nation to listen to the concerns of charity leaders and advocate on their behalf.

“I have certainly taken a very consultative and deliberative approach. My door has been wide open,” he said.

“The war on charities is long finished.”

In his address at the National Press Club, Leigh cited several examples in which he claimed the former Coalition government had placed the sector squarely in its sights.

They included "heavy scrutiny" of a women’s disability charity and attempts to quash the advocacy work of environmental, social services and legal charities.

He reminded the not-for-profit leaders in the room about the three open letters written to the then government calling on them to end the attacks.

Leigh said the Hands Off Our Charities Alliance had been rebranded the Stronger Charities Alliance on his watch.

“I think that says a lot about the relationship between the sector and us.”

Leigh challenged his opposite number to admit the Coalition had been wrong in those attacks and called for a promise that a Coalition government would not wind back advocacy protections now in place.

“We know that the Coalition on issues such as the public service are taking its inspiration from the DOGE, which even right now the United States is going after non-government organisations.

“Charities need more than the listening. They need to guarantee that there will not be backsliding if Peter Dutton was to become prime minister.”

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