I move:

That this House:

(1) recognises the contribution made by charities, volunteers, philanthropists and community foundations to Australian communities;

(2) supports the Government's goal of doubling philanthropic giving by 2030;

(3) welcomes reforms to encourage more resources to flow to charities and communities, including:

(a) setting the minimum annual distribution rate for both public and private giving funds at 6 per cent of net assets;

(b) allowing giving funds to smooth distributions over a three-year period, giving them greater flexibility to support major charitable projects; and

(c) adding 34 organisations to the ministerial declaration for community charities, the largest expansion since the category was established in 2024;

(4) further recognises that community foundations allow local people to pool resources, support local organisations and build lasting institutions in the places where they live; and

(5) affirms the importance of making philanthropy easier, more accessible and more closely connected to Australian communities.

This is a sector that is very close to my heart. When I was 24, I left the public service to move to Adelaide, a place I'd never been, to head up their state reconciliation council. I then spent more than 13 years working in the Australian Indigenous Education Foundation, helping Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people access educational opportunities. I also had the privilege of leading a national youth mental health charity supporting children and young people affected by mental illness within their families.

I share those experiences here because they gave me an enormous appreciation for the dedication of people working across our charity sector. I saw the difference good programs, committed staff and generous supporters can make in people's lives—a life-changing impact. I saw the challenges that charities face too—the constant search for funding, the pressure of growing demand and the considerable time spent on administration, reporting and compliance. It's one of the reasons I'm so passionate about making Australia a better place for charities to operate and for people to give.

Across Australia, registered charities employ around 1.6 million people, supported by approximately 3.9 million volunteers. In my home state of Queensland, we're fortunate to have around 10,000 charities doing extraordinary work. But Queensland faces some particular challenges. Our state accounts for around 20 per cent of Australia's population, yet estimates suggest Queensland receives just seven per cent of national philanthropic funding. At the same time, six of Australia's 10 most disadvantaged local government areas are in Queensland. For communities already facing poverty, limited access to services and repeated natural disasters, the work of local charities is particularly valuable. These figures highlight why we need to do more to strengthen philanthropy in Queensland and across Australia.

In my electorate of Griffith, I'm fortunate to work with some remarkable organisations. Micah Projects, Romero Centre, Eating Disorders Queensland, the Children's Hospital Foundation—I could go on literally all day naming them. Earlier this year, I hosted a charity and not-for-profit roundtable with the Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury, bringing together around 80 representatives from our local organisations. We heard about growing demand, uncertain funding and administrative burden placed on charities.

We must recognise that charities do far more than deliver services. They bring people together, strengthen communities and give Australians opportunities to contribute, volunteer and belong. They have an incredibly valuable role in our democracy. Yet, under the former coalition government, the charity sector spent years defending its right to speak. The coalition tried to abolish the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission then pursued measures that threatened charitable advocacy. Under this government, we believe charitable advocacy belongs in Australian democracy. We want charities to contribute their expertise, challenge our decisions where necessary and tell us where government policy is falling short and how we can do better. That independence makes our democracy stronger.

In the charities I've worked for and led, a key role for me has been leading teams of fundraisers. Before starting that work, the thought of asking someone for money, even for a good cause, was, frankly, mortifying. But I came to realise what an integral role philanthropic giving plays in serving our community's most vulnerable. This passion eventually led me to join the Fundraising Institute Australasia's board, and I commend their work.

The Albanese Labor government came to office with a commitment to support our charity sector and double philanthropic giving by 2030, and we're making good progress towards that goal. We've commissioned the Productivity Commission's Future foundations for giving report, which recommended reforms to charitable tax deductions, regulation, public information and access to philanthropy for First Nations Australians, and we're making progress across each of these areas. We've announced an increase to the minimum annual distribution rate for public and private giving funds to six per cent of net assets, expected to direct an additional $60 million every year towards Australian charities. We're giving these funds greater flexibility to spread distributions over three years, supporting larger projects and long-term investment. We've removed the outdated minimum $2 threshold for tax deductible gifts. We've created a new pathway for community foundations to access tax deductible status. We're making it easier for environmental, cultural, harm prevention and overseas aid charities to seek tax deductible status.

I particularly welcome the work of Queensland Gives and Queensland Community Foundation to encourage more local philanthropy. Queensland has enormous generosity, but we need to get more philanthropic funding into the communities and organisations that need it most. Having spent much of my working life in this sector, I know how hard people work to keep these organisations operating. I'm proud to put forward this motion and of our government's ongoing commitment to a stronger, more generous Australia.