A Tasmanian Senator wants a not-for-profit organisation to have its charity status revoked

A Tasmanian senator is calling for an activist foundation to be stripped of its charity status, accusing the group of taking revenue away from government services in order to pay for “illegal workplace invasions”.

A TASMANIAN senator is calling for the revocation of an activist foundation’s charity status following a string of forestry protests which she says has cost the taxpayer.

Liberal Senator Claire Chandler said the Bob Brown Foundation’s online funding page which seeks tax-deductible donations for its activism, should be the “final straw” for its charitable status.

The Bob Brown Foundation, in its first action since COVID-19 restrictions were implemented in March, began a new protest near Mount Field on Tuesday to fight logging it claims is destroying the habitat of endangered wedge-tailed eagles with nests in adjacent forests.

Protester Anna Bursek, who spent two nights on a porta-ledge, was arrested this week and charged with trespass and failure to comply with the direction of a police officer.

In the first forest protests since the coronavirus lockdowns, Anna Bursek stopped cable-logging logging at Mt Field by camping overnight on a porta-ledge. She was removed by a crane on Thursday afternoon, arrested and charged with trespass. Picture: BOB BROWN FOUNDATION

Three ground support protesters were also charged with failure to comply with a direction from the Director of Public Health for non-essential travel beyond 30km of their homes.

Ms Chandler said the “latest blatant workplace invasion” and associated fundraising should cause the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commissioner to revoke the Bob Brown Foundations’ charitable status.

The Foundation’s fundraiser campaign – which has raised over $46,000 – tells website visitors: “your pledge today will ensure our campaigns for wild nature will continue to shine brightly with defiance and hope throughout this dark time”.

“It is beyond the pale for Australian taxpayers to be subsidising this activity through allowing tax deductible donations,” Ms Chandler said.

Liberal Senator Claire Chandler has spoken out about the taxpayer “subsidising” protests and “workplace invasions” by allowing the Bob Brown Foundation to take donations. (AAP Image/Mick Tsikas)

“The Foundation’s abuse of the charitable status takes revenue away from government services like health and education in order to pay for illegal workplace invasions in Tasmania and elsewhere around the country.

“These invasions prevent workers from doing their job, costing them wages and their employers important income.”

In response to Ms Chandler’s comments, BBF chief executive Steven Chaffer said the organisation was registered as a charity to protect the environment which is what, he said, the foundation’s activities sought to achieve.

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“If charities backed down every time they were criticised by vested interests and their political lackeys, they would be rendered ineffective which, of course, is the aim of such attacks,” he said.

“A charity that politely sits on its hands, ignoring the very problem it was set up to address, is failing in its obligations to its supporters and the wider community.”

Greens Leader Cassy O’Connor said logging was not an essential service and should cease during the pandemic.

“While the rest of the State has been in lockdown, loggers have been making hay while the sun shines. Out of sight and mind during a pandemic apparently suits them well,” she said.