Family First shouldn’t get a tax break. Nor should Greenpeace.

Lobby groups masquerading as charities shouldn’t get tax breaks, says ACT Leader David Seymour.

ACT welcomes the Charity Board’s plan to deregister Family First, but says it should be extended to other political groups like Greenpeace.

“Everyone knows that most of Family First’s activities are political, pushing socially conservative policies. Greenpeace is the same, except they push left-wing environmentalism. Neither group should be getting a tax exemption, considering they ignore the day-to-day work of actually helping families or the environment. In other words, they’re not charities.

“Even if these groups were pushing ACT policies, ACT still wouldn’t support giving them charitable status, because lobby groups shouldn’t get tax breaks.

“There’s a simple solution for these organisations: if they do any genuine charity, they should split that activity off into a separate division which can apply for charitable status independently.

“That would have the added benefit of ensuring people who donate to these groups know whether they’re funding genuine charitable services, or just barefaced political activism.”

Other ‘charities’ with a political focus:

- Child Poverty Action Group
- The Vegan Society of Aotearoa
- ASH New Zealand Incorporated
- Save Animals From Exploitation (S.A.F.E.)
- and many more.

ENDS

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