‘FAKE CULTURE’ PROMPTS REFERRAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENDERS OFFICE TO CHARITY REGULATOR

Sunday, 2 February 2025
  • Radical Environmental Defenders Office referred to charities’ Commission for investigation.
  • Group forced to settle for $9.04 million after Federal Court found constructed and confected evidence.
  • Shadow Minister says no place in Australia for charities to use “Fake Culture” to try and stop mining and gas revenue and jobs.

The radical Environmental Defenders Office (EDO) has been referred to the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission to assess whether the organisation has complied with its tax-exempt charity status, after it was forced by the Federal Court to make a $9.04 million settlement with Australian oil and gas company, Santos.

Shadow Minister for Resources, Senator Susan McDonald, confirmed she had referred the group to the charities regulator after the Federal Court made findings that included confected and constructed evidence, distorting and manipulating material before a court, and witness-coaching in relation to the EDOs failed efforts to stop a critical gas and energy project in the Timor Sea.

“For a nation that takes our Indigenous cultural heritage seriously, we need to be equally serious about how we sanction those who confect and construct Indigenous cultural heritage. That’s called ‘fake culture’,” said Senator McDonald.

She said the charities’ Commission required all registered charities to “avoid serious risk to public trust and confidence in the sector”.  And she said its leadership was required to “act with reasonable care and diligence; and to act honestly and fairly in the best interests of the charity and for its charitable purposes”.

“The Federal Court has brought down a judgement that requires the EDO to make a $9.04 million settlement with Santos. That is almost the equivalent of the EDO’s entire revenue from donations and receipts which last year amounted to $10.3 million,” said Senator McDonald.

“I think the findings of the Federal Court coupled with the size of settlement, warrant a full investigation of the charity by the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission. That is why I have made the referral.”

She said the delays and dishonesty created by the EDO had severely undermined investor confidence in gas exploration and production.

As a part of the Coalition’s plans to get Australia back on track, Peter Dutton and the Shadow Minister for Environment, Senator Jonno Duniam, have already announced that the EDO would be stripped of its $8.3 million in taxpayer handouts introduced by the Albanese Labor government.

“The standards Labor funds are the standards Labor supports,” Senator McDonald said.

ENDS