Press release – 16 November, 2015Sydney, 17 November 2015 – Greenpeace Australia Pacific CEO David Ritter will defend the independence of conservation groups at a federal parliamentary inquiry today into their charitable status.The parliamentary inquiry into the Register of Environmental Organisations, a tax deductibility scheme, could strip environment groups of their their ‘deductible gift recipient’ status, removing donors’ rights to deduct their donations from their tax.
“This inquiry was initiated by the Abbott Government as part of a campaign to silence the environmental movement by attacking its funding from thousands of ordinary Australians who donate to nature groups so we can give a voice to their concerns,” Mr. Ritter said today.
“We are pleased to have this opportunity to highlight the role that conservation groups play in protecting our natural environment, and to represent all Australians who want our beautiful natural heritage protected.
“This inquiry is an attack on people who want to protect places like the Great Barrier Reef from the rapid expansion of the coal industry,” he said.
Mr Ritter said the inquiry was initiated by the then Abbott Government to benefit the fossil fuel industry, which has lobbied for the charitable status of environmental groups to be revoked.
“We can see from submissions to the inquiry that the fossil fuel industry has been calling for an attack of this sort for some time to stop environment campaigns.
“It’s not environment groups who present a threat to the economy, it’s clearly the fossil fuel industry  because it is the leading contributor to global warming.
“In Queensland, drought has spread to a record 80 per cent of the state, the largest area ever officially recognised as being in drought.
“The Great Barrier Reef is under mortal threat from coral bleaching associated with global warming. The tourism industry that relies on the Reef is also under threat.
“It is clear the government has adopted the position of the fossil fuel industry, although it is in decline. Clearly the fossil fuel industry has too much power in Australia.
“We can see that coal mining is a sunset industry. It’s a bad investment for the future of the economy, for Australians and for the environment. Yet, the government persists in attacking those who stand up to this industry in the face of its unprecedented threat to our air, water and climate.
"Instead of an inquiry into environmental groups, we need an inquiry into the fossil fuel industry and the billions of dollars of taxpayer subsidies it receives each year,” said Mr. Ritter.
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