QUT philanthropy researcher Associate Professor Wendy Scaife has welcomed today’s $400 million national gift by Twiggy and Nicola Forrest as a ‘role model’ act of generosity in a time of wider philanthropy ‘flatlining’.
“Today’s announcement of a record Australian $400 million gift by Twiggy and Nicola Forrest comes at a time when fewer Australians are giving but those who do are giving more,” said Professor Scaife, who leads QUT’s Australian Centre for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Studies (ACPNS).
She said the ACPNS led the recent Giving Australia 2016 research – the largest ever research project into giving and volunteering working with CSI Swinburne and the Centre for Corporate Public Affairs. The research was commissioned by the Department of Social Services and Prime Minister’s Community Business Partnership.
“The figures from our research raise concerns about giving starting to flatline,” she said.
“While 87 percent of Australian adults gave in Giving Australia 2005, this dropped to 80.8 per cent in the latest 2016 study.
“Australia has seen a spate of very large donations only in recent years and ACPNS’ annual analysis of the ATO tax deductible donations data consistently points to four out of 10 of the nation’s affluent individuals not donating.
“This makes decisions such as today’s by the Forrests even more of a standout, and an important role model for others who have done well in business or had a windfall that they might want to invest in the community and causes they value.
“ACPNS research confirms many people who become large givers were prompted to act by seeing a business colleague put their money into a charitable need.”
“Giving Australia 2016’s survey of philanthropy and philanthropists found that 92.9 per cent were motivated by a belief that giving can make a difference and the trend of today’s allocation by Twiggy Forrest suggests selection of areas where impact is needed.”
The Giving Australia Fact Sheets on philanthropy and on individual giving are available online.
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