Karen Andrews (McPherson, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I would like to speak very briefly on the Tax and Superannuation Laws Amendment (2013 Measures No. 2) Bill. In particular, I would like to speak on schedule 4, which amends the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997, to update the list of deductible gift recipients by adding six entities, which are the Conversation Trust, the National Congress of Australia's First Peoples Limited, the National Boer War Memorial Association Incorporated, the ANZAC Centenary Public Fund, the Australian Peacekeeping Memorial Project Incorporated, and Philanthropy Australia Incorporated.

I note that the member for Canberra took the opportunity to speak about the National Boer War Memorial Association Incorporated. I would like to speak about the ANZAC Centenary Public Fund, and in particular the ANZAC Day celebrations that will be coming up in the next two years. I note in the schedule that the donations collected in the ANZAC Centenary Public Fund will be used to fund a range of ANZAC centenary initiatives and projects as agreed by government for the commemoration of the ANZAC centenary and Australia's involvement in World War I—1914 to 1918.

I certainly support the inclusion of the ANZAC Centenary Public Fund as a deductible gift recipient. We are approaching a most important ceremony—the commemoration of ANZAC Day in two years time—and I know that many of the communities around Australia are now actively working towards the celebrations that will take place on that day.

My electorate of McPherson is certainly preparing already. We have four RSLs in that community—Coolangatta-Tweed, Currumbin, Mudgeeraba and Burleigh Heads—and I am sure that many people around Australia would be aware of the ceremony at Elephant Rock on the Gold Coast every ANZAC Day, and particularly the dawn service that is held there. I know that the Currumbin RSL will be working towards making the centenary celebration events which we will all remember—as will many of the RSLs throughout Queensland and Australia, particularly the four in my electorate.

Having the ANZAC Centenary Fund included in the deductible gift recipients gives many people the opportunity to contribute to that fund. Having it tax deductible is absolutely wonderful, because it gives us the opportunity to recognise and publicly demonstrate our commitment to those people who have served in Australia and overseas, and who have done so much to support our nation in the past, and to support those who will continue to do so in the future.

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