Assistant Minister for Social Services and Multicultural Affairs, Senator the Hon Zed Seselja
Senator the Hon Zed Seselja, launched Giving Australia 2016, Australia’s largest review of giving and volunteering, at Parliament House on 1 Dec.
“The Commonwealth Government provided $1.7 million for Giving Australia 2016 to better understand how and why Australians give and volunteer, how much they donate and how these factors affect our non-profit and philanthropy sector,” Assistant Minister Seselja said.
The largest ever project of its kind, the research examined the giving behaviours of both individuals and business, with the intent of forming a strong evidence base to guide future policy related to charitable enterprise in Australia.
The first set of research products from Giving Australia 2016 revealed that:
- 80.8% of Australians made charitable donations contributing a total of $12.6B to charities and nonprofit organisations
- 43.7% of Australians volunteered a total of 932M in support of charities and nonprofits
- the average amount donated by Australians has increased by $210.16 per annum since the last Giving Australia 2005
- givers who donated via a planned arrangement contribute six times more than spontaneous givers, and
- those who volunteer their time are also the most generous with financial donations contributing an average of $1017 – nearly double that of non-volunteers.
“I know that Giving Australia 2016 will be of real benefit to Australia’s nonprofit sector and the people they help every day, and I am sure it will help foster an even greater culture of giving across Australia,” Senator Seselja said.
Findings will continue to be released into 2017 and will inform policy and practise in the philanthropy and nonprofit sector, so watch this space!
Further reading
Some of the project’s research team at the launch L-R Wendy Scaife, Wayne Burns, Myles McGregor-Lowndes and Jo Barraket
Minister launches Giving Australia 2016
Prime Minister’s Community Business Partnership commissions research on giving and volunteering
Stasia Dabrowski, Canberra’s soup kitchen lady
The Hon Zed Seselja made mention of the generosity of this lovely 90-year-old-lady, Stasia at the launch. Find out about the joy she receives by giving and volunteering.
Pro Bono article: Volunteers give more
Pro Bono article: Australian businesses go beyond giving
#GivingAus
