Malcolm Turnbull Spruiks Charitable Giving
7 January 2016 at 10:32 am
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has given an impassioned speech about the need for Australians to give to charity.
Speaking at the Jane McGrath High Tea at the Pink Test in Sydney, the PM said charities held the key to combatting issues governments were not always able to.
“You may think, you may say, ‘well, I pay my taxes and I pay my tax to the State Government, I pay my tax to the Federal Government, and they've put some money in, so why should I do anything else?’” Turnbull said.
“Well, there are many claims on governments, more claims then there is money to pay for it.”
Turnbull said that money given to charities carried more meaning than that “doled out” by governments.
“[You] know the dollar that you give today will buy no more than a dollar that… my government gives, but it has a special quality because it comes with your love,” he said.
“It is not an impersonal payment announced in a budget speech or doled out by bureaucrats. It comes from your heart. It comes with your love. It comes with your commitment, it’s part of you.
“Part of your love, part of your care, part of your compassion is tied in with that financial support.”
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CEO of the Fundraising Institute Australia, Rob Edwards, welcomed the PM’s comments and said it was now more important than ever for Australians to give to charity.
“As the PM mentioned, charities bridge the gaps that no government can ever afford to fill,” Edwards told Pro Bono Australia News.
“In today’s economic climate it's only natural that we would seek to tighten our purse strings and say no to giving more, but that's precisely why we need to give, because there are always people, animals and places that need our help.”
Edwards said Turnbull’s message was an important one.
“It's heartening to hear the Prime Minister acknowledge the important role charities play in supporting the quality of life Australians enjoy and to emphasise that the act of giving makes the gift special because of the love and care it signifies,” he said.
“As our members will tell you, it's not just good to give, it feels good to give, and every gift of any size is always appreciated.”
The McGrath Foundation had a fundraising target of $380,000 at this year’s Pink Test, which it exceeded despite much of the match being abandoned due to poor weather.
