Hands off our charities: MHCC ACT joins the call to protect advocacy for those who need a voice
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Media release
The Mental Health Community Coalition of the ACT (MHCC ACT) joins ACTCOSS and other not-for-profit organisations in calling for the Australian Government to stop proposed changes to the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission Governance Standard 3.
Bec Cody, MHCC ACT CEO, states “The changes that the Australian Government are proposing are a threat to the way charities promote the needs of our most vulnerable. These regulations infringe on our rights to freedom of assembly and of expression.”
“Threats to de-registration based on pre-emptive punishment or inadvertent breaches will work to silence charities who aren’t able to manage the massive increase in administration required for ‘proving’ innocence in the proposed regulations.”
“This places threats on the voices for our most vulnerable – for us that means people living with a mental illness (psychosocial disability). For the community this means our First Nations people, our elderly, people living with a disability and people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities.”
“MHCC ACT has joined forces with ACTCOSS in the ACT to call on the Federal Government not to introduce these changes, and therefore keep advocacy and democracy alive and active.”
Media Contact: Bec Cody, Chief Executive Officer
(02) 5104 7716, Bec.Cody@mhccact.org.au
Communications Officer: Alison Hall, (02) 5104 7711
MHCC ACT is the peak body for community-managed mental health services in the ACT. Find out more about MHCC ACT at www.mhccact.org.au.
