Senator takes aim at charity

A TASMANIAN senator is calling for the revocation of an activist foundation’s charity status following a string of forestry protests which she says has cost the taxpayer.

Liberal Senator Claire Chandler said the Bob Brown Foundation’s online funding page, which seeks tax deductible donations for its activism, should be the “final straw” for its charitable status.

The Bob Brown Foundation, in its first action since COVID-19 restrictions were implemented in March, began a new protest near Mount Field last week to fight logging it says is destroying the habitat of wedge-tailed eagles.

Protester Anna Bursek, who spent two nights on a portaledge, was arrested last week and charged with trespass and failure to comply with the direction of a police officer.

Three ground support protesters were also charged with failure to comply with a direction from the Director of Public Health for non-essential travel beyond 30km of their homes.

Ms Chandler said the “latest blatant workplace invasion” and associated fundraising should cause the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commissioner to revoke the Bob Brown Foundation’s charitable status.

“It is beyond the pale for Australian taxpayers to be subsidising this activity through allowing tax deductible donations,” Ms Chandler said.

“The foundation’s abuse of the charitable status takes revenue away from government services like health and education in order to pay for illegal workplace invasions in Tasmania and elsewhere around the country.

“These invasions prevent workers from doing their job, costing them wages and their employers important income.”

In response to Ms Chandler’s comments, BBF chief executive Steven Chaffer said the organisation was registered as a charity to protect the environment. “If charities backed down every time they were criticised by vested interests and their political lackeys, they would be rendered ineffective which, of course, is the aim of such attacks,” he said.