New link to GetUp for charity under fire

A charity set up by GetUp officials has put the group’s ex-campaign director on its board.

Paul Oosting from GetUp at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: Kym Smith

A charity set up by senior GetUp officials, which is being investigated by the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission, has appointed the left-wing ­activist group’s former campaign director to its board.

The Australian can reveal Commons Library Limited, launched by GetUp staff including national director Paul Oosting in 2014 as GetUp Commons Limited, was notified on October 22 that it was under investigation by the ACNC.

The investigation was sparked following reports in The Australian in August last year revealing links between GetUp and the Commons Library, including personnel and shared office space.

Despite being aware of the ACNC probe, the Commons ­Library appointed former GetUp campaigns director Django ­Merope-Synge to its board in January, replacing Benjamin Brandzel.

Mr Brandzel was a founding board member at the New York-based Avaaz.org, which made three donations to GetUp ­between 2013 and 2017 totalling more than $268,000.

Charities and Electoral Matters Assistant Minister Zed ­Seselja told The Australian the “links between GetUp and this charity are becoming clearer and clearer”.

“It is absolutely appropriate the commissioner investigate these links to ensure integrity in the charity sector, and it is critical that GetUp, who preach transparency, publicly outline the extent of this relationship,” he said.

Senator Seselja wrote to ACNC commissioner Gary Johns on August 20 asking him to formally examine the “very close links” between the Commons ­Library and GetUp.

Senator Seselja told Mr Johns it was important that organisations with charitable status were “complying with their obligations and fulfilling their charitable purpose, and not being used as de facto political campaigners”.

An ACNC spokeswoman said the commission was not legally allowed to provide details on the status of investigations.

The Australian previously ­revealed senior officials at GetUp — which publicly claims “we don’t have or want charity status” — were involved in setting up the Commons Library, which had worked out of the offices of the left-wing group.

As a registered charity, the Commons Library is endorsed for “GST concession and income tax exemption” and as a “deductible gift recipient”.

On his LinkedIn account, Mr Merope-Synge said he was GetUp’s campaigns director ­between 2016 to October last year. He was previously communications co-ordinator of the NSW Greens and a senior adviser to Tasmanian independent MP Andrew Wilkie.

The Australian last year ­revealed Mr Merope-Synge — who led GetUp’s push to oust former prime minister Tony Abbott in Warringah — was a director of Climate Leaders, which was linked to Zali Steggall’s campaign.

A GetUp spokeswoman said Mr Merope-Synge had finished with GetUp on October 4 and that the group had “no role in the operation of the Commons”.

A Commons Library spokeswoman said they were an “independent social change library for the benefit of the Australian ­public”. “Our focus is broad and we have supportive relationships with many stakeholders in civil society. Commons materials are available for viewing and download by anyone with an internet connection.”

The “social change library” previously said GetUp had “no involvement in the operation of the Commons Library” and was an “independent organisation”.

The Commons Library says its vision is based on an Australia “that has well-informed, skilled, collaborative and effective movements for social and ecological justice”.

The online “public library” includes collections of articles, manuals, training materials and practical guides to “inform and equip” Australians to influence public policy and engage in “political structures”. “The Commons is committed to being accessible to the breadth of the Australian public,” the Commons Library says. “We aim to overcome barriers to access, ­including those ­related to ability, education levels, language, ­income, racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia and any other oppression or systemic disadvantage.”