Pro-secular organisations have called on the Albanese government to increase transparency and accountability in the charities sector by removing the special exemptions given to religious charities designated as ‘Basic Religious Charities’ (BRCs).

The Rationalist Society of Australia this week co-signed a letter with Atheist Foundation of Australia, Humanists Victoria, National Secular Lobby and Humanists Australia to Assistant Minister for Charities Andrew Leigh.

Click here to read the letter in PDF format.

The letter said BRCs should have to comply with the same governance standards and financial reporting requirements that apply to other charities, including religious organisations that do not have BRC status.

The organsiations also urged Dr Leigh to reconsider his decisions to ignore the Productivity Commission’s recommendations for the removal of Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status for school building funds and religious activities in government schools.

The joint action follows the Productivity Commission’s recommendation in July for the removal of the BRC category, and the associated exemptions, to help deliver a “more transparent and consistent approach to regulating charities”.

“We believe the special exemptions to governance standards and financial reporting requirements provided to religious organisations with BRC status fundamentally undermine public confidence in the charities system,” said the letter.

“After years of media reports about abusive practices and financial malpractice among such charities, the Australian public is now demanding greater transparency and accountability of these charities.”

The organisations said they had been troubled to see religious leaders and lobbyists engaging in “exaggerated” attacks on the independent Productivity Commission.

Among the accusations thrown around, the National Catholic Education Commission described the Productivity Commission’s inquiry into philanthropy as a “direct attack on faith” and Australian Christian Lobby said the Commission’s work had been motivated by an “atheistic hostility to faith”.

“We expect the government to make decisions based on expert advice and not be swayed by such scare campaigns. That is why we urge you to support the Productivity Commission’s recommendations regarding these matters.”

In July, the RSA wrote to Dr Leigh, calling on him to support the Productivity Commission’s recommendations in relation to BRCs and DGR status for school building funds and religious activities in government schools.

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Si Gladman is Executive Director of the Rationalist Society of Australia. He also hosts ‘The Secular Agenda’ podcast.