Tell Treasurer Chalmers: Protect Charitable Giving.

Every week, parishes run food pantries. Faith-based schools open their doors. Community groups keep the lights on between government grants. Much of this happens because generous Australians give quietly, faithfully, and without recognition.

Now the government is taxing that generosity. Buried in Labor’s budget is a new tax on the trusts that many Australians use to donate to their church, their school, and their local charity. Before a single dollar reaches the food bank or the school building fund, the government takes its cut. The charity receives less, not because donors gave less, but because the government helped itself first.

Nineteen of Australia’s most senior religious leaders, representing millions of Australians across faiths, warned the Prime Minister that this tax would punch a multi-billion dollar hole in the charitable sector. The Treasurer’s response was to say charities are still tax-exempt. He missed the point entirely. The tax doesn’t fall on the charity. It falls on the donation before it ever arrives.

Months later, nothing has changed. The legislation has not been amended. Churches are sounding the alarm again. The window to fix this is still open, but it won’t stay open forever.

Sign the petition and tell Treasurer Chalmers: charitable giving is not a loophole. Exempt it from this tax now.