Andrew Leigh (Fraser, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

The one-stop shop of the charities commission is a great Labor reform. Instead, what we are seeing from this government is that they have not quite pressed the 'pause' button on it but have certainly pressed the 'slow' button—that button on the remote control that makes the picture freeze-frame forward. We were to have been discussing ACNC repeal this week, but the government has put it off, because they do not know what is going to replace the charities commission. They promised a consultation paper by the end of February, but Minister Andrews did not deliver it. They promised extensive consultation with the sector, but the sector is outraged, saying, 'Minister Andrews doesn't want to speak to us.' He has a tin ear for consultation. And so, extraordinarily, the ACNC (Repeal) (No. 1) Bill does not take effect until repeal bill No. 2 comes along. Were this parliament to pass it, it would sit on the statute books like a ghost regulation. How ironic is that? This government wants to repeal bills that do nothing, that have no effect on the statute books. Yet, in the ACNC (Repeal) (No. 1) Bill they want this parliament to pass a bill that will be a ghost regulation. It will haunt these halls like Banquo's ghost, just waiting for the ACNC (Repeal) (No. 2) Bill to come along.

The sector is waiting too. They want to know what could possibly replace the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission, a body supported by four out of five charities. They know that the bad old days of charities regulation being done by the Australian Taxation Office is an unworkable system. That is why many other countries' charity regulators are coming to Australia in the coming weeks to learn about the Australian model. They are coming to hear from people like ACNC Commissioner Susan Pascoe, who is broadly respected across the sector, about how Australia has done a good job on charities regulation.

This government, which wants to get rid of red tape, is aiming to get rid of an ACNC that has a red tape reduction directorate. It is ironic, and it is a stain on this government's reputation.

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