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Supporting the Government = Federal funding

"In the past, non-government organisations such as charities, churches and environment groups have played a valuable role in encouraging public debate. Soon after the Howard Government was elected, however, many of these began to lose funding. Groups representing some of the poorest and least powerful people, such as the Australian Pensioners' and Superannuants' Federation, National Shelter, the Association of Civilian Widows and the Australian Youth Policy and Action Coalition lost their funding. No government likes to be criticised, but in the past governments have accepted that it is part of the role of non-government organisations to advocate for their constituencies.

As well as losing funding, non-government organisations have been silenced in other ways. Many groups that receive some funding from the Government have contracts that include confidentiality clauses which prevent them making public comment. Even where confidentiality agreements do not apply, many non-government organisations self-censor for fear of losing their funding."

So writes Tanya Plibersek, Federal ALP member, in an op-ed piece in today's SMH. Plibersek fairly convincingly demonstrates how the Howard Government - forever asserting how it governs for all even if the fact is totally to the contrary - has severely cut, if not entirely shut off, funding to many worthwhile causes and organisations. It clearly helps to be a Government "mate" - as recent appointments by the Government have so clearly shown Read the full op-ed piece here.

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