Dean Smith (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Treasurer, Senator Gallagher. At the last election, Labor promised a building capacity/building community policy aimed at increasing capacity in the Australian charities sector. In the October budget, the Albanese government committed to a Productivity Commission review of the framework that incentivises philanthropic giving to charities. Can the minister confirm that as of today no further announcements have been made on either of the Labor Party promises?

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Smith. I never know what question's going to come from you. In respect to the chamber, I'll have to take that on notice. Hang on, I will see if I can find something on my feet. I'm not sure that's the same question I got asked—in the interests of getting you an accurate answer, Senator Smith, I think it wasn't in my top list of issues to prepare for in question time today but I will come back to the chamber with any information.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Dean Smith, a first supplementary?

Dean Smith (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Really, you should trust me first. Does the minister agree that the charities sector, facing unprecedented demand due to the cost-of-living crisis and Labor's insufficient plan to address it, deserves a government that prioritises charities' urgent needs and delivers on its promises?

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

tor GALLAGHER (—) (): I thank Senator Smith for the question. I would say that, in the budget, one of the largest line items we had was to increase indexation to community organisations, some of whom are charities, who provide services to the community, in response to the fact that they had been inappropriately—or the indexation that had applied was not adequate and not allowing them to continue to meet some of the costs they were incurring. That was in the order of several hundreds of millions of dollars, and it was in response to a request from ACOSS and some in the charity sector to have a look at the indexation when we came into government.

I undertook to do that. It was unfair. It had been left in an inadequate state. It hadn't been addressed. It was, in a finance sense, quite costly to deal with, but we did that in the first budget, in respect of the work that they do, the value that we place in it and the fact that we recognised their costs were increasing and they needed extra support.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Smith, a second supplementary?

Dean Smith (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

AN SMITH () (): The indexation matter is a good one but it's not the subject of this question. How does the minister explain the government dragging its feet on delivering its modest commitments to Australian charities at a time when they are needed the most?

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Smith for the question. I don't accept the proposition that he puts. I know that my colleague the member for Fenner, who has responsibility for this area, has been working closely and is focused on this area. I just don't have an update of where all of that work is. But I have undertaken to come back to the chamber and provide that information and that update. Perhaps it's something that we can explore in estimates, Senator Smith, now that I'm aware of your interest in it. I will make sure that officials and myself are briefed fully, so we can take you through all the work that has been done. I know that the focus of the assistant minister for Treasury has been this area. I have some information on fundraising reform, but I'm not sure it answers your question.