Josh Dolega (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

but, if so, I withdraw. Why are they wanting to remove Equality Australia from being a deductible gift recipient? In this whole lurch to the far right, we have seen more hatred and more division from the other side, deliberately trying to hurt LGBTQI+ Australians by removing Equality Australia from being a deductible gift recipient. If they are not homophobic intentions, why are they focusing only on Equality Australia?

The bill also recognises other organisations, such as the Parenthood Project, which is a similar entity to Equality Australia but, rather than progressing the rights of LGBTQI+ people, it focuses on family and parenting policy—for example, affordable child care—where Equality Australia exists to improve the wellbeing and circumstances of LGBTQI+ people in Australia. So, again, all one can take as the motives on the other side—and, I might add, this is backed in by Senator Chandler and the far, far right of the Liberal Party—is more division and hatred towards LGBTQI+ Australians. It is really telling to me as to the motives and intentions of this amendment.

There are many other deductible gift recipients that are currently operating within these laws, and they are perfectly fine to do the things that they do, where punters can come along and make a deduction, make a donation to them and claim it on their income tax return. In the words of Equality Australia: 'There is nothing unique or exceptional about the specific listing of Equality Australia compared with other organisations.' So what is the motive? I don't know. All I can take from it is that they have adverse intentions and are, again, trying to create division amongst Australians.

Equality Australia, I might add, has been a registered charity in Australia since January 2026 and was first incorporated as an Australian public company in December 2015. Upon incorporation it applied for and was granted charitable status by the ACNC and has maintained its status. So there is nothing irregular at all about them being listed in this bill in schedule 5 as a DGR.

That amendment has been backed in by Senator Chandler. I don't know if that is the position of the opposition but, given her new senior position within the Taylor opposition, I am assuming it is the position of the opposition. I thought there were quite reasonable people on that side who would support LGBTQI+ people having a voice in organisations and would be actually supporting LGBTQI+ people in the community, but, again, they're bowing to the likes of Pauline Hanson and One Nation. They are drifting farther to the right, to divide people and to hurt people. I commend the bill.