Address provided separately for privacy.

9-12-11

To the manager of the Philanthropy and Exemptions Unit
I am writing to register my concern that the lack of a sound working definition of what constitutes charity with regard to taxation in Australia leaves loopholes for organisations interested in increasing their membership and wealth to have their efforts subsidised by the Australian tax payers.  
Any organisation which cannot show that its charitable efforts achieve some community benefit to potentially as wide a segment of Australian society, without favour, as is represented by the tax payers whose contributions make up the pool of government money should not receive the tax breaks on offer to charitable endeavours under the Tax Act.
The current degree of exemption and the lack of accountability among religious charities to show that their efforts are of benefit to our society, or that their charity is not contingent on opportunities to force their values on others provides an uneven playing field both in the provision of charity that might be more efficiently provided by other organisations, and in businesses entirely unrelated to their charitable endeavours.
I hope that the outcome of this review process leads to definition of charity that will allow a fairer deal for the Australian tax payer and a more efficient realm in which charities can operate for the benefit of all Australians.

Regards
Matt McArthur