Judith Neilson calls for reforms to aid philanthropy’s role in journalism

Billionaire Judith Neilson wants tax and charity reforms to make it easier for philanthropists to support quality journalism.

Judith Neilson has pledged to donate at least $100m to an institute for journalism and ideas. Pic: Darren Leigh Roberts

Billionaire philanthropist Judith Neilson’s new journalism institute has called for a review of the “broad framework” of Australia’s tax and charitable activities.

The Judith Neilson Institute for Journalism & Ideas - announced in November with the art gallery owner pledging to donate at least $100 million - made the case in its submission to the competition regulator in response to the ACCC’s reliminary report on digital platforms, which called for a clampdown on tech giants Google and Facebook.

“Despite the inherently altruistic objectives of the Judith Neilson Institute it does not appear to fit any of the existing deductible gift recipient (DGR) categories which were formulated prior to the advent of digital platforms and their disruptive impact on the production and dissemination of authentic, quality journalism,” says the submission to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, made public today.

The institute, which plans to distribute grants and host events to encourage quality journalism, said “philanthropy can support quality journalism in the public interest, but it must be enabled by government policy which encourages rather than deters it.”

“Expanding the established categories of DGR-eligible recipient institutions to include those that specifically promote and support quality journalism would be a key way of encouraging greater philanthropy in this sector.

“This would also ensure that new initiatives to support public interest journalism did not need to rely on government funding.

“Philanthropic support of journalism would benefit all Australians. High quality, impartial journalism strengthens our democracy and is a force for public good,” the institute said in its four-page submission.

Ms Neilson is ranked 1561 on the Forbes Rich List with assets of $US1.1 billion.

The institutes’s submission was one of several dozen made public today.