Liberals urge ‘serious’ scrutiny of Bob Brown Foundation over Greens candidate

The foundation set up by Greens founder Bob Brown may face scrutiny by the charities watchdog over a Greens candidate on its payroll.

Bob Brown Foundation campaigner Alistair Allan, right, at an anti-salmon-farming rally in March. Picture: Elise Kaine

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The foundation set up by Greens icon Bob Brown faces scrutiny by the charities watchdog, with the Coalition alleging “serious” breaches of rules against promoting candidates.

Alistair Allan, Bob Brown Foundation’s Antarctic and marine campaigner, is Greens candidate for the Tasmanian marginal seat of Lyons and has spoken at anti-salmon rallies and media events organised by the foundation.

The BBF has issued press releases quoting Mr Allan, including an attack on “all politicians who continue to support this toxic salmon industry”, and has urged Australians to “vote salmon out”.

Dr Brown has personally advocated a vote for Franklin anti-salmon independent Peter George, whose campaign chair is Dr Brown’s partner, Paul Thomas.

Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission rules ban tax-deductible charities from “promoting or opposing a political party or candidate”.

The ACNC in February warned that charities “risk losing their registration”, and therefore tax-deductible status, if they breached the rules during the campaign.

Coalition environment spokesman Jonno Duniam told The Australian he was concerned the line between advocacy and political promotion had been “seriously” crossed by the BBF.

“Their call to ‘vote salmon out’ and Bob Brown’s explicit endorsement of Franklin anti-salmon candidate Peter George are clear prima facie breach of the rules,” Senator Duniam said.

“The seriousness of this cannot be understated and I will be making a formal complaint to the ACNC.”

Dr Brown told The Australian he was unconcerned about Senator Duniam’s complaint and did not believe the foundation or Mr Allan had done anything wrong.

“He can’t say the Liberal Party is there to defend free speech and to encourage people to take part in the democratic process – and then be going through the rule book to find … a technicality to knock other candidates out,” he said.

He said Mr Allan campaigned for the Greens “on his own time” and had right to continue his day job as a BBF campaigner.

“I know about the charities commission but … what is wrong with a candidate who works for a charity being able to also campaign in his own time?” he said.

Mr Allan has appeared at multiple public and media events relating to the salmon industry – a key issue in Lyons and across Tasmania – since the campaign began.

On Sunday, he was a key speaker, along with Mr George and Greens senator Nick McKim, at a BBF anti-salmon rally in Hobart. On Tuesday, Mr Allan was joined again by Mr George and Senator McKim at a BBF press conference on the salmon industry.

ACNC advises that by law it cannot comment about any particular charity or whether it is investigating alleged breaches.

However, commissioner Sue Woodward on April 10 issued a public warning that charities must “take a non-partisan approach” to campaigning. “Remaining focused on issues, not party politics, is key to what advocacy you can do as an ACNC registered charity,” she said. “An environmental charity can call for reforms … What isn’t acceptable is promoting or opposing a particular candidate or party.”

Mr Thomas is public officer of another ACNC-registered group, Neighbours of Fish Farming. He said both that group and Mr George’s campaign were “fully compliant” with ACNC and electoral commission rules.